Galloway, N.J. — The Stockton Entrepreneurship Club made history with its inaugural pitch competition, "Success Pitch 2024," on Nov. 8. 

The Shark Tank-style event began with presentations in the Campus Center Theatre with a welcome from club President Lydia Kai Adjetey. Dinner and an awards ceremony in the Board of Trustees Room with remarks by Provost Michael Palladino followed. 

The competition aimed to spark innovation and entrepreneurship among Stockton students, showcasing creative business ideas in front of a panel of judges composed of faculty members and community leaders.  

“Participants captivated the judges with pitches that spanned diverse industries, reflecting ingenuity and problem-solving skills,” said Adjetey. 

Judges included Warren Kleinsmith, dean of the School of Business; Christy Goodnight, assistant professor of Business Studies, Monica Amadio, assistant professor of Business Administration; Tara Marsh, Hospitality, Tourism and Event Management internship coordinator; Mark Rizzo, director of the New Jersey Small Business Development Corporation at Stockton; Susan Adelizzi-Schmidt, president of Suasion Communications Group; Chukwuemeka Nnadi, 2013 alum and owner of Mays Landing Grocery Outlet; Shane Cogossi, 2022 alum and owner of Beat the Daily Grind Cafe; and Debra LoFranco, 2016 alum and founder of De’Vora.us and inventor of Scratch Square. 

The winners of “Success Pitch 2024” included: 

First Place ($500): Charles Obirinanwa, who presented an innovative packaging product using graphene oxide. 

Second Place ($250): Aidan Perrone, who proposed a systematic phytoremediation method for using hyperaccumulator plants to remove heavy metals from toxic soils. 

Third Place ($100): Jaylah Rolle, with her pitch for "Bags By Jay," a small business focused on handmade bags and hats. 

Award sponsors: First place award $500: Kleinsmith and Adelizzi Schmidt;second place award $250: Desiree and Chukwuemeka Nnadi;, third place award $100: Megan Hart, associate director of Alumni Engagement. 

According to Adjetey, Provost Palladino highlighted the importance of cultivating entrepreneurial spirit within the university. "Success Pitch 2024" was a resounding success, marking a milestone for Stockton’s growing entrepreneurship community and inspiring students to turn their ideas into impactful ventures.