There was no shortage of enthusiasm and American can-do-ism at the annual kickoff event for the Entrepreneurial Club at Iowa State.

Highlighting the event was an appearance by ISU President Gregory Geoffroy, who spoke to a crowd of at least 100 students and administrative staff who packed the Gallery Room of the Memorial Union.

Geoffroy provided examples of prominent businesses in the United States, such as General Electric and AT&T, founded by Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell, respectively.

“Almost every successful company had an entrepreneur at its foundation,” Geoffroy said. “Someone who was willing to take a risk … financially and personally.”

Geoffroy touched on the importance of entrepreneurs to both Iowa and the United States.

“Entrepreneurism is important to our country,” he said. “It’s very important to Iowa.”

Also mentioned was a goal of Geoffroy’s to further improve Iowa State’s reputation as a school with a strong entrepreneurial program. He said he wants to attract the sort of high school student who is interested in starting a business, who has energy and drive.

“I want ISU to be known in the Midwest … to attract those kinds of students,” he said.

Included in the plan to strengthen the entrepreneurial program would be an Entrepreneurial Learning Program, which would begin fall of 2004. Geoffroy said student involvement was needed to guide and influence the creation of the program.

“We’ve got the planning started; the ball is rolling,” he said.

Later in the meeting several students and alumni spoke about the Entrepreneurial Club and the positive effect it had had on their lives.

James Zehr, founder of General Property, Inc., a real estate development company in Ames, said he was a product of the Entrepreneurial Club and owed much to the contacts he had made while involved there. Zehr was a recipient of a $1,000 scholarship provided by the Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship and also made use of internship opportunities while a student at Iowa State.

Mike Dirnberger, senior in marketing and biology and member of the Entrepreneur Club, spoke about his involvement in the launch of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Iowa Conference at Iowa State, first held in 2002. The conference was held at the University of Iowa this year and will be held next in February 2004 at the University of Northern Iowa.

Many students in attendance were interested in starting a business.

“I have future plans to start a software company,” said Tyler Streeter, senior in computer engineering.

“When I do want to start, I’ll use the resources here.”

Nicole Woodroffe, sophomore in pre-law, said she was impressed Geoffroy spoke at the event.

“I was glad to see he’s supportive,” she said.

Woodroffe is also interested in starting her own business.

“I want to start a vegetarian restaurant in this area,” Woodroffe said.

The Entrepreneurial Club has grown in recent years, in part because of the support of the Pappajohn Center.

“The center is about seven years old and it has been an evolution … build awareness, you build value,” said Steve Carter, Director of the Pappajohn Center.

However, Carter stressed the importance of student involvement.

“Really at the core of it is a bunch of bright, motivated students,” he said. “What they have is a common interest, there is no profile.”