Marist PR Student Named President of New Student Entrepreneurship Network: First Meeting Wednesday, Feb. 23, 12 p.m.

Sabrina Clark

Senior communication major Sabrina Clark (PR and Spanish) has been named president of the new Marist College Student Entrepreneur Network (MSEN). The MSEN will hold its first meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., in Donnelly Hall 236. The meeting is open to all interested Marist students.

The MSEN will help students learn how to develop and implement plans for business, communication, technology, and resource management in start-up companies. The MSEN is also expected to generate internship opportunities for Marist students. Marist Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer William Thirsk, Director of of Strategic Initiatives Anthony DiMarco, and several faculty and staff members are providing guidance to the MSEN, but the network is led and managed by students. Marist Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer William Thirsk, Director of of Strategic Initiatives Anthony DiMarco, and several faculty and staff members are providing guidance to the MSEN, but the network is led and managed by students.

Sabrina is also the outgoing president of Marist's chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America, which is currently working with the MSEN, to launch an incorporated, student-run public relations firm. Once the firm is established, it will be able to work with clients to develop public relations and marketing plans; design strategies for social media, Website development, and other online communication efforts, etc.

According to Mr. DiMarco, "Many of the problems start-ups grapple with include marketing and public relations. We hope that the start-ups will use Marist's student-run public relations firm to support their communication needs."

According to Ms. Clark, the MSEN is an organization whose mission is to cultivate a mutually positive, learning and working relationship between Marist students and entrepreneurs within the Hudson Valley. Its goal is to invite entrepreneurs of start-ups in the area to Marist to host skull sessions, or brainstorming meetings, with students. In these meetings, the CEO(s) and students will collaborate on various aspects of the company. The MSEN is intended for ALL MAJORS. In turn, these start-ups will seek to fill numerous internship positions with Marist students.

John Galanti

The MSEN's first event on Feb. 23 will include a brief informational session to discuss the logistics and benefits of MSEN. Then, John Galanti, a local entrepreneur and venture capitalist, will speak to students about his experiences as an entrepreneur and provide tips and tricks about the professional world.

John Galanti was founder and CEO of Hudson Valley DataNet until it was acquired by Light Tower Fibernetworks. After the acquisition, John founded the Orange County Angel Network, one of the most successful of its kind in the Hudson Valley. He had recently invested in numerous start-up companies in the area, including one company who will be sponsoring MSEN's next event.

For more information concerning MSEN and its events, contact Sabrina Clark at sabrina.clark1@marist.edu or Anthony DiMarco at anthony.dimarco@marist.edu.