Student entrepreneur awarded is launched

Despite famous examples like Bill Gates and Michael Dell, some budding entrepreneurs choose to stay in college while pursuing their business ideas.

The Rothman Institute of Entrepreneurial Studies at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey aims to reward these future entrepreneurs.

The 2006 East Coast Competition is open to undergraduate-level students who run their own businesses while enrolled in colleges, universities, technical or career schools located in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and Delaware. Each state will recognize a first- and second-place winner who will be awarded $1,000 and $500 respectively. In addition, the judges will select an overall regional winner who will receive an extra $1,000 bringing the total grand prize to $2,000. Winners will be announced and honored in early May 2006.

Started in 1998, the competition is in its ninth year.

Administered by the Rothman Institute of Entrepreneurial Studies at Fairleigh Dickinson, the program is affiliated with the Global Entrepreneur Awards competition presented by Mercedes-Benz Financial and produced by Entrepreneurs' Organization.

The winner of the East Coast competition will compete with winners from other national and international regions in the global competition, where the first-place award is $10,000. Other awards are worth $3,000 in cash prizes.

"The goal is to recognize undergrads who are doing some amazing work. They're going to school and running a full-time business. It's important to recognize that and to encourage others to do the same," said James C. Barrood, executive director of the Rothman Institute of Entreprenurial Studies of Silberman College of Business.

One of this year's judges is Dee DelBello, chief executive officer and publisher of the Fairfield County Business Journal.

'I'm very fortunate to be a judge for the past few competitions and I marvel at the creativity of these young entrepreneurs. They're extraordinary - whether they emerge as winners or not," she said.

The deadline for applications is March 24, 2006.

For more information and to request an application, call the Rothman Institute at (973) 443-60842 or visit www.fdu.edu/rothman.