send news tips to the editor; thevoice.fsu@gmail.com | www.fsuvoice.com | November 16, 2011
I The Voice, For students. By Students 3
College students ‘Run
by Daniel Prater
^bice Staff Writer
Your energy adds up! That’s the slogan behind ReRev’s ret
rofitted gym equipment that harnesses wasted energy into a
renewable source of electricity. This process takes the kinetic
motion from those burning calories on an exercise bike, el
liptical, or any other aerobic exercise machine and sends the
energy back into the electrical system.
While the numbers aren’t staggeringly impressive, they
bring us one step closer to “something from nothing.” It used
to be the only numbers anybody cared about at the gym were
how many calories they burned. Now we can measure 50 watt
hours of clean, carbon-free electricity from a typical 30-min
ute workout.
To put that intp language college students can understand,
that’s six charges for your average cell phone or one hour of
laptop usage. Perhaps the most notable use that electricity can
power a CFL light bulb for two hours and 30 minutes. That’s
a considerable amount of study time.
As innovative and new as this system sounds, ReRev tech
nology has actually been used in colleges as early as 2008,
One quick look at the Facilities tab on their website show
cases the countless college and universities throughout the
United States that use ReRev equipment. The equipment has
caught the eye of fitness centers as well, but the bigger market
for the time being is the college recreation centers.
Some campuses offer chargers directly linked with the ma
chine of choice. This allows students to plug in, work out, and
recharge their batteries all dependent upon how much time
and effort they can commit to individually. Despite skepti
cism, student reception has been overwhelmingly in favor of
the green technology. Many agree staying healthy and caring
for the environment should be a two way street.
Colleges aren’t the only venues excited by this carbon free
energy. Public demonstrations have received limited power
supplies from stationary bikes using the same technology. In
2009, it was used to power the City Hall Christmas tree lights
the Show’
before a UN Summit in Copenhagen, Deiunark.
Temple University students attempted an Earth Day concert
powered with stationary bikes, but with little success. After a
few months and a little more R&D, they were able to produce
enough power to supply a DJ for the “Power Down Philly”
green-awareness event.
The consumer market also provides some expensive mod
els available today, but with a little ingenuity and some online
research, just about anybody can harness this technology. In
youth science magazines anyone can receive instructions with
a bicycle, a training wheel, and a 12-volt generator, to power
a 12 volt battery.
If 8-13 year-old children can develop their own “power
plant” using the method mentioned above, why wouldn’t ev
ery college and university in the United States invest in this
green, energy efficient technology? Any college could find
all the necessary information on ReRev’s website, even an
HBCU in a moderately sized town with a strong military pres
ence in central North Carolina.
Students participate in Entrepreneur Conference
by Shirley Townsend
Voice Staff Writer
FSU students get a lesson on en
trepreneurship and business.
The Third Armual Youth Entre
preneur Conference took place in
the Shaw Auditorium on Nov. 9.
The event is one of many campus
events that introduces students be
tween the ages of 12-25 about how
to become a successful entrepre
neur, and also gives students tips on
how to conduct and maintain their
own product. The event allowed
students networking opportunities
and practice on how to pitch busi
ness ideas to potential clients, oth
erwise known as “Elevator Pitch
Competition.”
The “Elevator Pitch Competi
tion” is for students with business
ideas who register for a chance to
win some prize money to support
their business. The students had
sixty seconds to pitch their busi
ness idea to a panel of judges. The
students were broken up into two
separate age groups: 12-19 years
old and 20-25 years old. The com
petitors presented an “elevator
Pitch,” which is a concise, carefiilly
planned, and well-practiced de
scription about their business ideas.
The contestant winners for ages
12-19 were Alexis Flemming with
first place, Jeremy Bierman with
second place and Imiah Crew
with third place. The winners for
ages 20-25 years old were Ervin
T, Brinkley with first place, Alex
andra Denman with second place
and Niki Lacey-Gillespie with third
place. All of the winning contes
tants won money prizes.
Shortly after the Elevator Pitch
Competition refreshments were
served and networking of differ
ent business women and men took
place with the students. After inter
mission, speaker Dr. Petur Jonsson
gave his speech entitled “Beyond
the Big Idea.” Dr. Jonsson’s speech
stressed the importance of working
hard and thinking outside the box to
reach their fiill potential.
The conference was a success
and inspired many students from
FSU, as well as Cross Creek stu
dents. It not only educated the stu
dents about business, but it also re
assured them that they can execute
any business idea, with hard work.
It is important that conferences and
workshops similar to this one are
available on campus so students of
all departments, classifications and
ages are familiar about the opportu
nities they could have if they apply
themselves,
Victoria Brown, a sophomore
mass communication major, has
discovered her talent and created
a business called “Orange Ribbon
Production,” Orange Ribbon Pro
ductions is a photography company
that Ms, Brown founded in memory
of her late sister Jasmine,
“My purpose is to capture the
precious moments of life because
tomorrow is never promised,” said
Ms, Brown.
The over-achiever admits that
creating her own business is very
challenging. Ms. Brown is younger
than most business owners but does
not allow her age to enable her. Ms.
Brown is also a Fayetteville State
University cheerleader, full time
student, Bronco-iRadio manager
and member of the Honda campus
All-Star team.
“A benefit I have received from
owning my own business is put
ting my name, face and the things I
stand for out for the community to
see. I’ve made my talent and pas
sion known to all of my peers and
it has also taught me to network,”
stated Ms, Brown,
Tony Nelson, a junior mass com
munication and theatre major, is a
well-known business man at FSU,
Mr, Nelson created a filmmaking
business called “YNOTcinema”
of “GOODTv Productions,” Mr,
Nelson uses this trademark under a
larger branch of video productions
and original written works from
“GOODTv Productions,” which is
headed by Mr. Nelson, alongside
Titus Ferrell. Mr Nelson has been
exposed to many new people and
opportunities since the creation of
his company. He has been invited
to several film festivals, locally and
out-of-state, and has also been hired
to do a few campus events. Mr.
Nelson is currently working on an
advertising contract with a quickly
growing business. He says he en
joys being his own boss, working
on his own terms and hours, and
also how he is reassured that he
is getting in return the amount of
worth he puts in.
“Don’t get discouraged, everyone
has to start somewhere. You must
crawl before you walk. Persevere
and it will pay off. Keep moving
forward...never take steps back
wards. Be professional even if peo
ple who want to do business with
you are not, stick to your standard,
excellence,” stated Mr. Nelson.
Mr. Nelson is a great example of
a productive college student. Al
though he has his own business he
is also active on campus. He is an
FSU Honors Scholar, Phi Eta Sig
ma Historian, Bronco-iRadio Direc
tor of Videography and a Student
Government Association volunteer
Being young business women
and men has many trials and tribu
lations, but anyone is capable of be
coming a successful entrepreneur.
Especially for those who have a
strong passion for any idea of prod
uct they have created.
The Voice would like to let our reading audience know that our last issue of 2011
will be published on December 2. If you're interested in submitting campus photos
and calendar events, the deadline for publication consideration is November 22.
Contact the Voice office at 672-2210.