This week students in apparel educational studies and hospitality management (AESHM) 474 through 574 will be presenting their innovative business proposals and small business consulting/makeover project recommendations.

Linda Niehm, associate professor of apparel, events and hospitality management, as well as head of the showcase said, “This is our tenth year doing the Entrepreneurship Showcase.”

The Entrepreneurship Showcase is from 6 to 9 p.m. on May 2, 2013.

“There are over 100 students that are taking these two classes and are showcasing their ideas to businesses,” Niehm said.

Students don’t just propose business ideas. They also help consult or makeover a business.

“Students can work as an individual or with a partner. Consulting teams work in groups of four to six students,” Niehm said.

Niehm also stated that Worldly Goods, Tangerine Zebra, Ames Main Street Cultural Office, and Kosama are the business that the consulting teams will help.

Andrea Gronau, manager of Worldly Goods, said, “students help remodel the store and they did a fantastic job.” Worldly Goods is a fair-trade, non-profit store.

“Students that didn’t help with remodeling will be presenting their ideas for businesses Thursday night. Students or partners will have to pitch their ideas in three to five minutes,” Niehm said.

Niehm also said that the students will propose ideas to help develop a brand identity. For students to come up with a decent business proposal, they work on this project all semester long.

“Students won’t be perfect, but they take workshops in class all semester long to improve on making a business proposal that will help the businesses,” Niehm said.

At the same time as the Entrepreneurship Showcase a business proposal contest will be going on from 6 to 8 p.m. According to the ISU events page, any human sciences student can pitch a business idea.

Niehm said that this business pitch is like the television show Shark Tank. Students will come up with business ideas and pitch them to judges.

This type of showcases and events is only a part of what the college does to support the students. Taking AESHM 474 through 574 are just steps that students can take to improve on businesses after college.

“When students take these types of classes and do these types of presentations, the students gain real-world experiences that they can use after college,” Niehm said.

Ten years ago this started out as a class project, and now 10 years later it is a part of the College of Human Sciences that helps students get the experience they need for the future.