Mount Saint Vincent Student Leader Presents at White House
1/20/2016
Riverdale, N.Y. – Denisha Kuhlor ’18 presented at the White House’s I Have a Dream Youth Entrepreneurship Workshop on Friday, January 15, 2016. Ms. Kuhlor spoke on the “Meet the Innovators” panel, which showcased college entrepreneurs, allowing them to discuss solutions and actionable steps to foster more innovation across college campuses. The panel was moderated by Rodney Williams, Founders and CEO of LISNR, an audio-based marketing and content distribution platform.
Hosted by the White House’s Council on Women and Girls (CWG), the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy, and President Barack Obama’s ‘My Brother’s Keeper’ initiative, the I Have a Dream Youth Entrepreneurship Workshop was established to transform what innovation looks like in the eyes of collegiate students of color. The convening of collegians, founders, and industry and public leaders highlights and accelerates entrepreneurship at minority serving institutions. Intended outcomes include commitments to invest in collegiate founders of color, as well as student internships and job placements.
Additionally, Ms. Kuhlor participated in and won the Student Dream Pitch Competition after the conference, where she was able to pitch her business vision to a panel of judges. As the first-place winner, Ms. Kuhlor has been granted office space to the incubator at the NYIT School of Management for a year, tickets to a New York Private Equity Forum at the Yale Club of New York City, and entrepreneurial development through a variety of management and technical assistance programs.
Ms. Kuhlor recently launched her own business, Plucked, a web application that aims to ease the college application process and make it more affordable for high school students to attend college. “It was an honor being able to represent the University of Mount Saint Vincent as well as my company Plucked,” said Ms. Kuhlor. “Mount Saint Vincent’s continued flexibility and support has made it possible for me to attend events such as these as well as build a business and pursue a degree simultaneously.”
Her attendance at the conference was made possible by the Office of Academic Affairs at Mount Saint Vincent. “We are excited for Denisha, and proud that the University of Mount Saint Vincent is represented by such a remarkable student and wonderful young woman,” said Patrick Valdez, Dean of the Undergraduate College. “Her entrepreneurial spirit and curiosity to connect students to colleges they would have otherwise never considered, through the Plucked app she created, will help prospective college students throughout the U.S. and potentially the world.”
About the University of Mount Saint Vincent
Founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Charity, the University of Mount Saint Vincent offers nationally recognized liberal arts education and a select array of professional fields of study on a landmark campus overlooking the Hudson River. Committed to the education of the whole person, and enriched by the unparalleled cultural, educational and career opportunities of New York City, the College equips students with the knowledge, skills and experiences necessary for lives of achievement, professional accomplishment and leadership in the 21st century.