6A NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2007
SPOTLIGHT
Perfect ACT earns freshman full ride
BY JEFF DETERS
jdeters@kansan.com
Like many high school students, Edward J. Fensholt took his ACT test twice. The first time he scored a 34, and on the second attempt he scored a perfect 36. But for Fensholt the two additional points turned out to be worth about $58,000.
Fensholt, an Olathe freshman, earned the University of Kansas Perfect Achievement Scholarship with his perfect score. The scholarship, established in 2004, covers various expenses for four years, including tuition, room and board in a residence hall and books. Fensholt, KU's fourth recipient of the scholarship, said he prepared for the tests the same way each time.
"Both times all I did was help some of my friends study," Fensholt said.
Even with such high ACT scores, Fensholt said he was never that interested in attending an Ivy League school like Harvard or Yale.
"The campus and whole environment of Lawrence really appealed to me," Fensholt said. "I always planned on going to KU."
Fensholt is majoring in microbiology and said he had developed a fondness for one particular area of study.
"I'm really interested in science, specifically virology," Fensholt said.
Fensholt helps conduct research on that topic at the Multicultural Resource Center, and in the future, Fensholt has two goals he wants to achieve.
"I'd like to continue on and get a PhD in microbiology, and then become a research scientist," he said.
Matt Zimmerman, Olathe freshman, is Fensholt's roommate. The two went to high school together, and Zimmerman said Fensholt had always treated others with respect.
"He's a genuine great guy," Zimmerman said. "He won't, as smart as he is, make anyone feel stupid."
Zimmerman added that Fensholt also knew there was a time for work and a time for play.
"He's far from being a bookworm," Zimmerman said. "He goes out and has fun. He's not like in his books all the time."
For fun, Fensholt enjoys playing golf and ultimate frisbee and hangs
out with his friends. He will attend his first KU football game as a student on Saturday.
"I'm excited about that," he said.
While Fensholt has only been on campus for a few weeks, KU has already made an impression on him.
Andrew Wacker/KANSAN
"I absolutely love it," he said. "This college thing is great."
Fensholt is one of a string of family members who have attended the University. His father, Ed, was a journalism major and graduated with a law degree in 1984. His older brother Brian attended the University, and his younger sister Rebecca is also a freshman this year.
Fensholt's father said that, for now, he wanted his son to enjoy college life and just be a kid. And when Edward enters the workforce, the family won't measure his success
Edward Fensholt, Olathe Freshman, displays the plaque he was awarded for his perfect score on the ACT. Edward received a four year full-ride scholarship from the University of Kansas for his academic achievement.
in money. They will measure it in meaning.
"We just want him to be happy, enjoy what he's doing," his father said. "Whether he's making $50,000
or $500,000, it doesn't matter. As long as he gets up in the morning and enjoys what he's doing."
-Edited by Kyle Carter
》 SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Sarah Leonard/KANSAN
Wally Meyer, Director of Entrepenurship, discusses the logistics of the Mark L. Morris Jr. New Venture Development Award. The student with the best business plan wins $7200 to use in the development of the business.
Award funds future entrepreneurs
BY JEFF DETERS
jdeters@kansan.com
This fall, business students at the University of Kansas will have the opportunity to compete for more than $7,000 to help them start their own businesses.
Undergraduates will compete for the Mark L. Morris Jr. New Venture Development Award, which was named in honor of the 1952-54 KU student and entrepreneur who died in January. The award program is being funded by a $250,000 donation from Morgan Creek Capital Management, Morris's financial consulting company.
Students will compete individually or in teams of three. They must prepare a three- to five-page business plan summary that details information such as the kind of business they are proposing, why customers would purchase the product and various financial aspects of running the business like managing costs and
profits.
Wally Meyer, director of entrepreneurship programs, helped develop the competition and said the contest was unique because very few schools had a similar program for undergraduates.
"This is an opportunity for all those KU undergraduates who have ever had a dream of starting a business," he said. "They capture that dream in form of a business plan, submit it, and they may well earn over $7,000 to start the business."
The top 10 winners will receive $200 and will be invited to a dinner where the final four business plan winners will be announced. Those four winners will receive $2,000 and the winning individual or group will win an additional $5,000 for a grand total of $7,200.
Winners can spend the money on whatever resources they need to start the business. Meyer said that could be anything from research to purchasing real estate. Meyer said
student response has been high.
"Students are now motivated to prepare business plans, and some of them have indicated they plan on entering the contest and starting their businesses after graduation, thereby providing themselves with their own employment," he said.
Meyer said the key to a successful business started with good planning.
"Execute the business plan," he said. "They'll have two things that they need to give them the best chance for success: No. 1, they'll have a business plan, which is absolutely critical to achieving success and No. 2 if they'll have a start at the money they need to raise."
Jason Bentley, Olathe senior, will take part in the competition. He'll work on his own.
"I have always been interested in starting my own business," he said. "This competition is a great opportunity to take another positive step toward making that goal a reality. It is free to enter, the guidelines are simple and the awards are very generous"
Brooks Morgan, Overland Park senior, also said he planned to enter the competition. He wants to build his business from the ground up.
"I am interested in entrepreneurship because it gives you the chance to start with something as small as an idea, and that single idea can fuel the creation of something great," he said.
Business plans should be submitted no later than Nov. 29. The KU Center for Entrepreneurship will be available to assist students with their business plans throughout the semester. A review panel will select winners at a dinner Dec. 6. For more information on the competition, go to www.business.ku.edu/FacultyResearchCenter-Competition.
Edited by Amelia Freidline
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