FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GLOBAL STUDENT ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS ANNOUNCES REGIONAL WINNER
Babson College Student Entrepreneur John Xie of Cirtex Corp Wins the
Atlantic City Regional Competition
EO NERVE CONFERENCE, ATLANTIC CITY, NJ, April 23, 2009 –– The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) is looking for the tri-state area’s leading undergraduate student entrepreneurs to compete in the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards for $150,000 in cash and donated prizes. Judging for preliminary entries for the regional awards was held yesterday at the EO Nerve Conference, April 23 at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City.
The Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) program recognizes the world’s top undergraduate student entrepreneur who is juggling both the demands of a full course load while running a business. The deadline to apply for GSEA is June 30th, with live and virtual competitions taking place from April-September, culminating in the Global Finals in the fall of 2009. The Entrepreneurs’ Organization, the world’s most influential community of entrepreneurs, helps to run the competition and will have the local support of the EO-NY Chapter.
“Like computer icon and former EO member Michael Dell, who started his company in his college dorm room, these students have a passion for entrepreneurship,” said Global Vice President Emerging Programs Dean Lindal of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization. “Today, small businesses and entrepreneurs are leading the worldwide economic recovery, and GSEA is committed to recognizing their innovation, success and leadership to encourage more students to follow their dreams.”
The winners were announced at the opening ceremony of the EO Nerve Conference in front of over 250 Entrepreneurs’ Organization members. The first place winner was John Xie, owner of Cirtex Corp and a sophomore from Babson College. Cirtex Corp provides various affordable and professional web hosting services ranging from shared web hosting to virtual private servers and dedicated servers. As the winner, John has earned his place to compete at the 2009 GSEA Global Finals competition in the Fall where the worlds top undergraduate student entrepreneurs come together to compete for the global title. The top three winning students from the Atlantic City Regional Competition are:
1) First Place - John Xie - Babson College – Cirtex Corp
2) Jay Rodrigues - University of Pennsylvania – DormNoise
3) Vinnie Thomas - Virginia Tech – Affordabook
Advantages CEO Fran Biderman-Gross, an EO-NY member and GSEA judge, said, “When you have the chance to see the ingenuity, creativity and tenacity of these students, it reminds you why you became an entrepreneur. GSEA not only gives these students the recognition they deserve, but the competition opens them up to incredible opportunities for mentorship, networking and learning from EO that they would otherwise never have access to, and those connections last a lifetime.”
Qualified student entrepreneurs must have been running a for-profit company for six months or more, be principally responsible for the company’s operations and simultaneously attend a recognized college or university as an undergraduate during the nomination period. Successful applicants present in front of a panel of EO members and local business representatives from the community. Interested students should go to www.gsea.org to submit a nomination to receive the online application.
About GSEA
For 20 years, the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) program has recognized students who are successfully building businesses while pursuing academic degrees. The program, which is currently active in five countries, encourages students to pursue their passions while building the foundation for a solid economic future through regional and global cash awards competitions. The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) is the facilitator of the GSEA program. This connection allows student entrepreneurs to tap into the collective knowledge and experience of EO members, gaining access to global networks and to a community that understands passion, struggle, drive and success. For more information, go to: www.gsea.org
About EO
The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) – for entrepreneurs only – is a global community that enriches members’ lives through direct peer-to-peer learning, connections to experts and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. EO is the catalyst that enables entrepreneurs to learn from each other, leading to greater business success and an enriched personal life. EO is comprised of more than 7,000 members in 38 countries, with an average member age of 39 and average annual revenue of US$14.4 million. The organization is committed to building the world’s most influential community of entrepreneurs. For more information, go to: www.eonetowork.org.
Media Contact:
Greg Hill
Global Student Entrepreneur Awards – Program Coordinator
Entrepreneurs’ Organization
Tel: (250) 391-6035