Belmont University

Business systems analytics and management double major Jess Finny has fully embraced student life from participating in InterVarsity with University Ministries to joining the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and serving as a student leader on the Orientation Council in Belmont's Towering Traditions new student orientation program. Finny has not only excelled socially and academically but she has also found success as an entrepreneur, creating Chechi's Chai.

Over the holiday break, Belmont introduced new charging spaces for students on the go - a new student venture called Plug. Plug was made possible by junior business student Abdul Abdurasulov who partnered with the Thomas F. Cone Sr. Center for Entrepreneurship to take actionable steps in bringing power banks to campus. Plug power bank stations offer a portable power bank sharing service where chargers can be rented for convenient usage at the rate of $2 an hour, or $6 a day. The idea stemmed from a trip last summer to his family's home in Uzbekistan, where power bank stations are regularly found at local coffee shops, restaurants and cafes.

On Tuesday, April 18 the Thomas F. Cone Sr. Center for Entrepreneurship hosted the Business Plan Competition, a culmination of the entrepreneurship business pitch series for the 2022-2023 academic year. Six student entrepreneurs pitched their ideas to a panel of alumni judges for a chance to win first, second and third place money-awarding prizes for their currently active businesses.

Mark Wardlaw, an economics minor in the Jack C. Massey College of Business, recently attended and presented a paper titled "Wage Differentials Across Degree Fields and Levels of Education for Immigrants vs. Natives" at the Issues in Political Economy (IPE) 29th Annual Undergraduate Research Conference in Economics. The conference was held in New York February 25 - 26. The conference brings together undergraduates from across the country to present and share their research with peers. Students presenting at the IPE also serve as discussants. Using data from the American Community Survey over an 11-year period (2009-2019), the research rigorously examines the extent of any wage differentials between natives and immigrants living in the United States. After controlling for a wide range of relevant factors informed by theory, the findings indicate that, overall, natives earn more than immigrants, with the differences in wages decreasing with increasing education levels. An important finding is that immigrants with STEM degrees earn more than their native counterpart. The findings of this study offer some insights into the wide variation in wages between natives and immigrants across various spectrums. There are important policy implications which can guide policymakers and regulators in their approach to immigration reforms. Early contributions to the research came from fellow students Dawson Flint, Keita Suzuki, Sean Cleaver and Lauren Dansbury during a course in labor economics taught by Dr. Colin Cannonier, who served as research advisor and also in attendance at this conference.

Jace T. Wilder, a senior at Belmont, has been named to GLSEN's inaugural Freedom Fellowship Program cohort. GLSEN is the leading national organization working to guarantee LGBTQ+ students safe and affirming education. After a national search and competitive application process, Wilder was selected to join GLSEN's Freedom Fellowship, a one-year program for 18-25 year olds across the country to build their leadership skills while advising GLSEN national headquarters on decisions impacting the LGBTQ+ youth in their region. Wilder will serve the Southern region.

After a year of heightened anxiety, less socialization and increased Netflix binging, a group of 12 Belmont University students launched a plan to help their peers begin feeling less isolated and get back on track to a life of wellness. This plan came in the form of opening the campus's newest student-run business: Where the Well Things Are. The team of 12 were responsible for the conception of the business, the selection of products and now the daily management of the store, with oversight from the Thomas F. Cone Sr. Center for Entrepreneurship. Together, the students combined their various skills and interests to create a store solely focused on college students' wellness journeys.