BUCKHANNON – A team from West Virginia Wesleyan College’s Thomas H. Albinson School of Business placed second in the West Virginia Innovation and Business Model Competition held at Marshall University earlier this week.

Derek Hess ’23, a theatre arts major and music minor; Taylor Pugh ’22, a musical theatre major and business minor, and Elizabeth Harvey ’23, a mathematics major with music and business minors, created a business concept from their like-minded interests.

The three comprise Incubation Productions, a business designed to bring filmography and video production education to West Virginia and provide quality production media to businesses, communities and individuals at an affordable price.

Hess said, “The experience was certainly eye-opening, and we’re grateful to have had the opportunity to go. I was especially surprised at the number of people that came to us after our presentation, ready to offer exciting tips and ideas. It was all very gratifying.”

The team is part of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship class taught by Dr. Tracie Dodson and was coached for the competition by Dodson and Dr. Josh Beck.

“It was very fulfilling to see students’ ideas come to life and for them to flourish in a very competitive professional environment,” Beck said.

Incubation Productions won the West Virginia Wesleyan College competition from among 11 different business ideas to advance to Marshall’s competition. The WVWC competition was judged by Jennifer Bostian, executive director of the Upshur County Development Authority and Dr. Susan Aloi, community engagement specialist at Community Care of West Virginia.

Dodson and members of the Incubation Productions team will travel to Charleston April 6 to present at the West Virginia Innovation and Business Model Competition Showcase.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts college in Buckhannon, West Virginia. A tradition of excellence for more than 130 years, West Virginia Wesleyan is home to 14 Fulbright Scholars. The Princeton Review ranked Wesleyan one of its 2022 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan a “Top 20” Best Value – Regional Universities (South) and one of the “Top 75” Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students more than 40 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, and nursing; 22 NCAA Division II athletic programs; multiple performing arts groups; and more than 70 organizations. Founded in 1890, the College is closely affiliated with the United Methodist Church and abides by the Wesley doctrine that emphasizes service to others. For more information, visit wvwc.edu.