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The Shoemaker Scholars program brings together 10 Indiana University Bloomington students from a variety of academic disciplines. They encourage other students to explore their own entrepreneurial and innovative interests, and they oversee the StartupIU website that connects students with university-based startups. John and Donna Shoemaker funded the program, which awards annual scholarships to its members. Travis J. Brown launched and directs the program.

Natalia Galá, a junior from Anaheim, California, majors in special education and general education in the School of Education. This will be her first semester as a Shoemaker scholar. Natalia was kind enough to answer questions for the Crimson Catalyst.

Crimson Catalyst: How did you learn about the Shoemaker Scholars program?

Natalia Galá: I initially learned about this program thanks to my friend Richard Xu, an alumnus from the Kelley School of Business and Jacobs School of Music. He is a previous Shoemaker scholar who achieved a lot, and I hope to follow his footsteps.

CC: What impact do Shoemaker scholars have?

NG: The biggest impact that the Shoemaker Scholar program has is that it helps students who have entrepreneurial goals to have access to the full resources they need. It also helps students tackle any inconveniences they might experience along the way.

CC: What is a common misconception students have about entrepreneurship and innovation?

NG: One common misconception is that those words are exclusive to just people in the Kelley School of Business and the School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering. A person with any major can have entrepreneurial goals. It isn’t strictly business- or technology-related majors who are innovative.

CC: How do you share insights with others, as an ambassador?

NG: I share different resources that I have been able to have access to. I also make sure that people know that the other Shoemaker scholars and I can help them pursue their entrepreneurial goals.

CC: What are your own entrepreneurial endeavors?

NG: Beyond being a Shoemaker scholar, I love working with kids. I have a passion for helping others. I hope that in the future I am able to open schools in poor Latin American countries to help students who do not get the same chances as kids in the United States.

CC: What do you enjoy most about being a Shoemaker scholar?

NG: I enjoy being a part of a group of students who have different goals but are trying to positively change the world. I enjoy hearing the different ideas that each individual has.

More information about the Shoemaker Scholars program is available at the following websites:

• School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering
• StartupIU

The Shoemaker Scholars program brings together 10 Indiana University Bloomington students from a variety of academic disciplines. They encourage other students to explore their own entrepreneurial and innovative interests, and they oversee the StartupIU website that connects students with university-based startups. John and Donna Shoemaker funded the program, which awards annual scholarships to its members. Travis J. Brown launched and directs the program.

Hunter Hawley, a junior from Cloverport, Kentucky, majors in entrepreneurship and corporate innovation in the Kelley School of Business. This will be his first semester as a Shoemaker scholar. Hunter was kind enough to answer questions for the Crimson Catalyst.

Crimson Catalyst: How did you learn about the Shoemaker Scholars program?

Hunter Hawley: By participating in the Ideation and Creation Entrepreneurs Club at IU, I was around the Shoemaker Innovation Center often throughout my freshman and sophomore years. Eventually I became curious about what the Shoemaker scholars did, and I asked around.

CC: What impact do Shoemaker scholars have?

HH: I believe that the largest impact comes from the coordination of the service providers around campus.

CC: What is a common misconception students have about entrepreneurship and innovation?

HH: That to be an entrepreneur or an innovator, you have to take giant risks. In reality, the best entrepreneurs and innovators are great risk mitigators, not risk takers.

CC: How do you share insights with others, as an ambassador?

HH: As a Shoemaker scholar, you really should have a pulse on the entrepreneurship community at IU and in the surrounding area. If you have knowledge of what’s going on, sharing opportunities is the easy part.

CC: What are your own entrepreneurial endeavors?

HH: I run a startup called Blueprint Stats that records, analyzes and shares data for basketball teams, coaches and players. In addition to the industry’s basic “video and stats” product offering, we maximize the impact of our data by offering specialized training programs for teams and individual athletes.

CC: What do you enjoy most as a Shoemaker scholar?

HH: Entrepreneurship and innovation in general can easily start to feel like a lonely endeavor, but with groups like the Shoemaker scholars, it doesn’t have to be that way. I am proud that we place people with a diversity of ideas together to support one another in their journey to change the world. IU students are doing incredible things, and we shine light on them.

More information about the Shoemaker Scholars program is available at the following websites:

• School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering
• StartupIU

The Shoemaker Scholars program brings together 10 Indiana University Bloomington students from a variety of academic disciplines. They encourage other students to explore their own entrepreneurial and innovative interests, and they oversee the StartupIU website that connects students with university-based startups. John and Donna Shoemaker funded the program, which awards annual scholarships to its members. Travis J. Brown launched and directs the program.

Ashley Hennessey, a junior from Fort Wayne, Indiana, majors in secondary social studies education in the School of Education. She has been a Shoemaker scholar for a semester. Ashley was kind enough to answer questions for the Crimson Catalyst.

Crimson Catalyst: How did you learn about the Shoemaker Scholars program?

Ashley Hennessey: My older brother, Andrew, was a Shoemaker scholar. I learned about the group when he helped them branch into the School of Education.

CC: What impact do Shoemaker scholars have?

AH: We help connect students to resources on campus that they might not know about, while also encouraging people from any discipline to tap into their entrepreneurial mind.

CC: What is a common misconception students have about entrepreneurship and innovation?

AH: A common misconception is that you have to be a Kelley or SICE (School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering) student to pursue entrepreneurship. In actuality, anyone with a creative idea can utilize the Shoemaker scholars to make an impact on their surroundings.

CC: How do you share insights with others, as an ambassador?

AH: I encourage people with any sort of idea, big or small, to connect with us and see how they can put their idea into action using the resources available to them on campus.

CC: What are your own entrepreneurial endeavors?

AH: I have developed programs in high schools that help integrate new students into the school environment and community. I am also working on an affordable tutoring service for elementary-, middle- and high-schoolers, with college students as the tutors.

CC: What do you enjoy most about being a Shoemaker scholar?

AH: I’m not what people might expect when they talk about entrepreneurs, so I enjoy that the Shoemaker Scholars program sees the value in diverse minds and skill sets.

More information about the Shoemaker Scholars program is available at the following websites:

• School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering
• StartupIU

The Shoemaker Scholars program brings together 10 Indiana University Bloomington students from a variety of academic disciplines. They encourage other students to explore their own entrepreneurial and innovative interests, and they oversee the StartupIU website that connects students with university-based startups. John and Donna Shoemaker funded the program, which awards annual scholarships to its members. Travis J. Brown launched and directs the program.

Davis T. Joseph, a junior from Bloomington, Indiana, majors in informatics in the School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering. This will be his first semester as a Shoemaker scholar. Davis was kind enough to answer questions for the Crimson Catalyst.

Crimson Catalyst: How did you learn about the Shoemaker Scholars program?

Davis T. Joseph: I was fortunate to attend many of Dean Brown‘s talks and meet previous Shoemaker scholars during my freshman and sophomore years. Through connecting with them, I learned the purpose and mission of the Shoemaker scholars and had the chance to join them.

CC: What impact do Shoemaker scholars have?

DTJ: The biggest impact is one that is invisible, not because its impact can’t be seen but because the group acts as infrastructure. Our members connect students to other students, student groups, resources and ideas. We are like a search engine that is reactive and reliant on the group’s collective expertise to be an end-to-end solution for cross-campus innovation.

CC: What is a common misconception students have about entrepreneurship and innovation?

DTJ: People think that entrepreneurship and innovation exist only for students of certain disciplines, usually those involved with tech and/or business. I’d say innovation is about making life better, and that exists — as is evident in history — in multiple forms.

CC: How do you share insights with others, as an ambassador?

DTJ: I get to know people and talk to them. I listen to people I come across at talks here and there. I get curious and love learning about new things like computing, cooking, ethics, singing, etc. By meeting people with similar and different interests, I get them talking with people they’ve never met before. It’s those interactions that people unconsciously meander through that birth insight. Insights that I’ve gained and shared experiences I’ve lived or learned from are just talked about; it’s as simple as that.

CC: What are your own entrepreneurial endeavors?

DTJ: I don’t have any entrepreneurial endeavors that I can truly call my own, but I’ve worked for a startup, for an open-source software development team and as a consultant for multiple nonprofits. I’m thankful because I have had many mentors in my life, and hopefully I’ve acted as a mentor in other capacities than being a Shoemaker scholar. Mentors go beyond teaching and instructing. They live their life supporting and uplifting people — like Melinda Gates, creating moments of lift for all people. I believe everyone has the capacity to be a mentor and that we are asked to be such for others around us.

CC: What do you enjoy most about being a Shoemaker scholar?

DTJ: It is the most diverse group of individuals I’ve had the pleasure of being in and working with, and with our collective experience we get things done and done well. It’s fulfilling, honest work.

More information about the Shoemaker Scholars program is available at the following websites:

• School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering
• StartupIU

The Shoemaker Scholars program brings together 10 Indiana University Bloomington students from a variety of academic disciplines. They encourage other students to explore their own entrepreneurial and innovative interests, and they oversee the StartupIU website that connects students with university-based startups. John and Donna Shoemaker funded the program, which awards annual scholarships to its members. Travis J. Brown launched and directs the program.

Ryan Evan MacDonald, a junior from Valparaiso, Indiana, majors in international studies in the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies. This will be his first semester as a Shoemaker scholar. Ryan was kind enough to answer questions for the Crimson Catalyst.

Crimson Catalyst: How did you learn about the Shoemaker Scholars program?

Ryan Evan MacDonald: Talking with Richard Xu, a friend who turned out to be a Shoemaker scholar himself.

CC: What impact do Shoemaker scholars have?

REM: Helping make resources and connections on entrepreneurship available alongside a higher education and not forcing students to choose one or the other.

CC: What is a common misconception students have about entrepreneurship and innovation?

REM: That there’s some fixed “type” of people who are entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship is for anyone who wants to start their own way of living, whether that’s starting your own art studio, bakery or medical practice. All those people are entrepreneurs. Even more so, if someone hasn’t exactly done what you want to do, or your dream job doesn’t exist, entrepreneurship is how you can make it a reality.

CC: How do you share insights with others, as an ambassador?

REM: Asking lots of questions. A lot of times, especially ambitious people, me included, can get caught up in our own heads — we never ask why, just how. The most important thing that I can do is give people a moment to breathe, reflect and ask why they want to start a business. There are a-million-and-two people more than happy to help them with the how legal services, accounting, etc.

CC: What are your own entrepreneurial endeavors?

REM: Some sort of enterprise is in the works for me. Part of why I joined Shoemaker scholars was to put it on better footing. I’ll be able to help people while I’m going through the process along with them.

CC: What do you enjoy most about being a Shoemaker scholar?

REM: The connections I get to help make for the people this program is for. It can be confusing and scary to even think about entrepreneurship, but just talking to other people who can say it’s not that bad, or at least not as bad as you imagined, can do a lot of good. I like taking away some of the stress of pursuing a dream.

More information about the Shoemaker Scholars program is available at the following websites:

• School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering
• StartupIU

The Shoemaker Scholars program brings together 10 Indiana University Bloomington students from a variety of academic disciplines. They encourage other students to explore their own entrepreneurial and innovative interests, and they oversee the StartupIU website that connects students with university-based startups. John and Donna Shoemaker funded the program, which awards annual scholarships to its members. Travis J. Brown launched and directs the program.

Zach Simunic, a senior from Bloomington, Indiana, majors in marketing, entrepreneurship and sales in the Kelley School of Business. He has been a Shoemaker scholar for two semesters. Zach was kind enough to answer questions for the Crimson Catalyst.

Crimson Catalyst: How did you learn about the Shoemaker Scholars program?

Zach Simunic: I originally learned about the program from Wes Wagner, who was in the group. After learning about the group’s mission and attending an open-forum event, I realized that being a part of the group would be a tremendous experience and an opportunity to connect with like-minded students on campus.

CC: What impact do Shoemaker scholars have?

ZS: We connect innovators and changemakers to the many resources that Indiana University offers for student entrepreneurs. In my opinion, that means our greatest impact is that we help connect student entrepreneurs to communities they were not aware existed. Entrepreneurship, especially student entrepreneurship, can be a lonely world. Finding the right community can help students build connections and learn from other perspectives that, in turn, can greatly impact their ventures.

CC: What is a common misconception students have about entrepreneurship and innovation?

ZS: A common misconception is that we need to wait until we have the experience to pursue a startup. College is an amazing time for any student to take the leap and pursue a venture. The point of higher education is to learn, and I believe that there is often no better way to learn than by doing. This time of life offers very little risk, and any failure that we might face will have the least amount of impact during this part of our lives. Indiana University and the Bloomington community are incredible places to try, fail, learn and pivot.

CC: How do you share insights with others, as an ambassador?

ZS: We have a variety of ways in which we share insights with our fellow students. We send newsletters, we have the StartupIU website and we organize events that are all meant to help student entrepreneurs learn about the opportunities around them. Often the most rewarding opportunities are unplanned conversations with classmates, because information can be catered to that specific individual.

CC: What are your own entrepreneurial endeavors?

ZS: Over the past year, I have worked with Kennedy Brown, my co-founder, developing our company, Hunger Curbed. We are working to build stronger relationships between food trucks and their customers. Food truck customers are looking to be better informed about the options that are available, while food truck owners are looking to limit the amount of extra work on their end. Being a co-founder of a startup while still in college means that I am an active user of the information the Shoemaker Scholars program provides. Because I intimately understand what founders’ needs are, I am motivated to offer the best information to student entrepreneurs on campus.

CC: What do you enjoy most about being a Shoemaker scholar?

ZS: I enjoy connecting students to communities that they often had no idea existed on campus. This is something I am passionate about because during my first few years at IU, I struggled to find a community that pushed me to pursue my ideas in a business setting. That’s why I find personal enjoyment in helping other students learn about the opportunities available to them on campus and in the Bloomington community.

More information about the Shoemaker Scholars program is available at the following websites:

• School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering
• StartupIU

The Shoemaker Scholars program brings together 10 Indiana University Bloomington students from a variety of academic disciplines. They encourage other students to explore their own entrepreneurial and innovative interests, and they oversee the StartupIU website that connects students with university-based startups. John and Donna Shoemaker funded the program, which awards annual scholarships to its members. Travis J. Brown launched and directs the program.

Kacey Wood, a junior from Granger, Indiana, majors in marketing and business analytics in the Kelley School of Business. She has been a Shoemaker scholar for three semesters. Kacey was kind enough to answer questions for the Crimson Catalyst.

Crimson Catalyst: How did you learn about the Shoemaker Scholars program?

Kacey Wood: I learned about it through the StartupIU newsletter.

CC: What impact do Shoemaker scholars have?

KW: The Shoemaker Scholars program serves as a community and supports those with innovative and creative minds who want to bring their ideas to real life. Most ideas are never acted upon due to the person not having the resources to build that idea. The program’s impact is in providing these resources.

CC: What is a common misconception students have about entrepreneurship and innovation?

KW: If the entrepreneur is the “face of the company,” it is often thought that he or she is the lone person who contributed to the startup’s success. In reality, an entrepreneur’s success is never completely found on their own. Instead, there is a team of interchangeable members along the way who assist in the making of the startup’s success.

CC: How do you share insights with others, as an ambassador?

KW: It’s all about sparking a conversation and listening. If you are able to hear someone’s needs for their project, you can figure out exactly how you can provide assistance.

CC: What are your own entrepreneurial endeavors?

KW: I’ve worked on a wide range of entrepreneurial endeavors, from starting a photography business to casually mentoring on best marketing practices to advertising an up-and-coming musician’s music.

CC: What do you enjoy most about being a Shoemaker scholar?

KW: I enjoy being surrounded by a wide range of diverse mindsets and personalities.

More information about the Shoemaker Scholars program is available at the following websites:

• School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering
• StartupIU

The Shoemaker Scholars program brings together 10 Indiana University Bloomington students from a variety of academic disciplines. They encourage other students to explore their own entrepreneurial and innovative interests, and they oversee the StartupIU website that connects students with university-based startups. John and Donna Shoemaker funded the program, which awards annual scholarships to its members. Travis J. Brown launched and directs the program.

Jenny Ye, a senior from Allentown, Pennsylvania, majors in computer science in the School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering. This will be her first semester as a Shoemaker scholar. Jenny was kind enough to answer questions for the Crimson Catalyst.

Crimson Catalyst: How did you learn about the Shoemaker Scholars program?

Jenny Ye: I initially learned about Shoemaker scholars from being a part of the Shoemaker Innovation Center. I was able to interact with last year’s group and hear their stories and learn about the impact the program had on students.

CC: What impact do Shoemaker scholars have?

JY: The Shoemaker Scholars program provides students with resources relating to entrepreneurship and innovation. It allows students to have peers to go to for questions, insights and advice. Above all else, the program provides a community for students to discover and dive deeper into entrepreneurship and innovation, and open their eyes to new opportunities and experiences.

CC: What is a common misperception students have about entrepreneurship and innovation?

JY: Oftentimes people think that entrepreneurship and innovation are innately in you — you either have them or you don’t. In reality, entrepreneurship and innovation can be taught, and they are a mindset that can be applied anywhere. They are ways to approach problems with a different perspective.

CC: How do you share insights with others, as an ambassador?

JY: Insights can be shared on the StartupIU site, as well as through word of mouth. The best way to share insights is through a positive experience. When those who participate in Shoemaker scholar events have a great experience, they themselves become ambassadors to not only the program, but entrepreneurship and innovation.

CC: What are your own entrepreneurial endeavors?

JY: I don’t have a startup, but am currently working on different projects that are geared toward accessibility and security. In terms of mentorship, I’m a panelist and mentor for Girls Who Code, as well as to members of the Product Management Club.

CC: What do you enjoy most about being a Shoemaker scholar?

JY: It’s an incredibly impactful experience, where I’m able to help leverage resources to provide students with what they need. I also hear their feedback about current entrepreneurship and innovation events and resources to better their overall experience. I love being in places where people are just as passionate as I am about providing a great experience and resource for entrepreneurship and innovation.

More information about the Shoemaker Scholars program is available at the following websites:

• School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering
• StartupIU