Winston-Salem State University’s Tyler Kendrick and Rachael Creekmur won third place in the 105 Voices Emerging Business Leaders competition for their business plan “Focus Finish Tutoring,” which focused on a tutoring program for inner-city school children.
The competition was part of the 105 Voices of History organization, which brings together singers from each of the nation’s historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) for an annual concert event. The mission of the competition is to increase the business development knowledge of 105 Voices choir members and increase the scope of 105 Voices beyond just singing.
Kendrick, an accounting major, and Creekmur, a history major, are both members of the Singing Rams choral music program at WSSU, under the direction of D’Walla Simmons-Burke. As a finalist, the WSSU team presented their project to a panel of Wells Fargo employees in Charlotte. The panel awarded the duo third-place and $150 each.
The National Association of Black Women in Construction got the teams ready to present their business plans by conducting sessions that focused on how to coordinate, organize and produce a complete business plan.
Georgia’s Fort Valley University won first place and Huston-Tillotson University of Texas finished second in the competition. North Carolina A&T University, Lincoln University and Bowie State University also participated.
