CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.
(Mar. 27, 2023) — On Thursday, March 23, 2023, Square1 held its annual NEXT
High School Final Pitch Event at Thomas More, co-sponsored by the University
and U.S. Bank. The event provides opportunities for additional coaching,
prizes, and startup support to participating students. Three teams of stand-out
students were selected by a panel of judges for top honors in the competition
and as a result receive scholarships to Thomas More University, including
first-place, full-tuition scholarships, second-place $25,000 scholarships, and
third-place $22,000 scholarships. “This was probably our best event to date,
and Thomas More was crucial in this outcome,” says Keith Schneider, founder and
director of Square1. “The scholarship opportunities make it so exciting, and
the students’ performances make it so rewarding.”
Earning first place was team BLK Beauty from Walnut Hills High School, consisting of students Cydney Emery, Hannah Ware, Jada Scott, Sidney Brown, and Bene Gyan. All receive full-tuition scholarships to Thomas More University with their pitch detailing an innovative hair company design. “BLK Beauty captured the audience and knocked their pitch out of the park,” says Schneider. “They were energized and passionate about making their NEXT experience a success from the beginning of the program months ago.” Team BLK Beauty appeared live on FOX19’s morning show to discuss their pitch and participation in the Square1 program on Monday, March 27, 2023 (find that interview HERE).
Runner up in the pitch contest, team Easy Brush, consisted
of Campbell County High School student Luke Barbian. Team EcoSoap from
Beechwood High School took home third place in the competition and was made up
of Nick Alexander and Ella Roberts.
The 2023 NEXT event also honored Chad Scott, founder and managing director of Tindall Capital, a growth investment firm focusing on lower-middle market technology and early-stage software investments operating in targeted industries. Square1’s NEXT program works with high school students to teach them how innovation and an entrepreneurial mindset can change their life’s trajectory. Schools and students from across Greater Cincinnati participate in this region-wide innovation and work skills education and development program.
For more information about
Thomas More University, visit www.thomasmore.edu.
For more
information about Square1, visit www.ideastartgrow.com/.
For more
information about U.S. Bank, visit www.usbank.com/about.
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About Thomas More University
For 100 years, Thomas More has created a
university for the student who wants to Be More, Do More, Seek More, Win More,
Achieve More, and Create More. Since its founding in 1921, Thomas More has
provided a mission-driven, liberal arts education that is based in the Catholic
Intellectual Tradition. Students learn to harness the power of human reason to
solve problems and discover truth, which allows them to begin the journey to
become the person they were created to be. Entering into the second century, it’s
time for More. Serving more than 2,000 students, Thomas More aspires to be the
premier Catholic university in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region, to
build up the excellent ranking for ROI in Kentucky (#1 – 2021 MSN Money, #2
2022 Georgetown University study), and share with this generation the
transformative power of the Thomas More experience. To find out more, visitthomasmore.edu.
About Square1
Square1, with locations in Covington and
Cincinnati, seeks to uncover, educate, support, and inspire emerging
entrepreneurs and leaders, who ultimately create opportunities for themselves
and others by overcoming the many obstacles life poses. This mission is
achieved through the NEXT program, which works with high school students to
teach how innovation and an entrepreneurial mindset can change their life’s
trajectory. Schools and students from across Greater Cincinnati participate in
this region-wide innovation and work skills education and development program.
To find out more, visit ideastartgrow.com.
About
U.S. Bank
U.S. Bancorp, with
approximately 77,000 employees and $675 billion in assets as of December 31,
2022, is the parent company of U.S. Bank National Association. The
Minneapolis-based company serves millions of customers locally, nationally and
globally through a diversified mix of businesses: Consumer and Business
Banking; Payment Services; Corporate & Commercial Banking; and Wealth
Management and Investment Services. MUFG Union Bank, consisting primarily of
retail banking branches on the West Coast, joined U.S. Bancorp in 2022. The
company has been recognized for its approach to digital innovation, social
responsibility, and customer service, including being named one of the 2022
World’s Most Ethical Companies and Fortune’s most admired superregional bank.
Learn more at usbank.com/about.
MEDIA CONTACT: Lyna
Kelley, director of communications and PR, kelleyl@thomasmore.edu, 859.344.3309
Source: more.thomasmore.edu
