College students on the rise

Gen-Z has and will continue to shock the world in their innovative and leadership abilities. The college students in our community are no exception. Within our fast growing community, so many motivated students take initiative in their career and community. In this article, we have the privilege of introducing you to some of the most remarkable college innovators and leaders within our community. These exceptional students have demonstrated their commitment to driving change, defying the haters, and inspiring others to do the same. As we delve into their stories and endeavors, we hope to ignite your own passion for innovation and inspire you to join us in fostering a culture of progress and excellence.

📸 Meet Olive Thompson, studying Psychology at The New School 

NYC & CO Photographer, @olivethompsonphotography

What led you to start your small business?

Olive: Growing up a dancer, I always loved the creative arts industry and started my photography journey in 2016 when I needed a creative outlet while I recovered from hip surgery. It’s kind of an “accidental business” because it started as a way for me to get out of the house and learn something new. I try my best to make sure that photography stays as something that I can do to fulfill my need for creative juices.

What have you been able to achieve through this?

Olive: Funnily enough, photography has taught me a lot about what I don’t want in terms of a career. In 2018, I briefly attended the Fashion Institute of Technology for Photography. I’m still pretty proud of attending because it is such a good school, but I ended up transferring to The New School for a Masters in Psychology. I think it sucks the passion out of art to HAVE to create. We need to pay artists for what they are worth, but I do believe that art for the sake of a paycheck is less authentic. 

Despite this, I am proud to say I’ve done some pretty cool things with photography – NYFW, magazine features, starting my own business, expanding my network - but I think the biggest achievement has just been finding the ability to walk away when something isn’t a good fit.

What do you hope for the future of your business?

Olive: I am just along for the ride. Recently, I co-hosted an event to raise awareness for sexual assault survivors. I did some gender affirming portraits for Pride Month and I frequently work with minority owned businesses for branding. It’s only a touch of advocacy, but I would love to continue to be able to utilize art for the bigger picture.

👩🏼‍💻 Meet Rachel Fong and Julia Gray, studying Fashion Industry’s Science and Technology at the University of Arizona

Co-founders of Haus of Style club at University of Arizona, @ua_hausofstyle

What led you to start this club?

R+J: After being exposed to the plethora of professions within our field of study, we saw a number of our peers struggling to bridge their college lives with prospective career paths, so in January of 2023, we started Haus of Style. 

What have you achieved through this so far?

R+J: Our club strives to give students opportunities to build their portfolios through creative and professional development.  We establish systems of teams, working under mentors, to build supportive learning communities and complete monthly goals or projects.  We also hold guest lectures, featuring local professionals, and resume-building workshops to aid our members when applying for jobs and internships.

What do you hope for the future of your club?

R+J: We aim to increase the confidence of students looking to start their careers and venture into a workplace environment.  We hope our club can connect with more students, professionals, and businesses to support our creative community on campus.

👡 Meet Milan Marino, studying Studio Arts/Graphic Design 

Founder of LA Thrift Babe, @shoplathriftbabe

What led you to start your small business?

I started my business in 2019 and it all stemmed from my passion for thrifting! I would sometimes find pieces that weren't my size, but were items that I couldn't pass up on, so I started selling them on my page. From there my shop started to grow pretty quickly, and I then began upcycling pieces.

What have you been able to achieve through this?

I learned how to market myself, stay connected with my customer base, keep people interested in my brand, and overall my business gave me a boost of confidence in myself and my creative abilities.

What do you hope for the future of your business?

My plan is to build out my website more and re-up my inventory so people have constant new drops, and to grow my consumer base more. I also really want to begin selling in person to interact with people IRL at flea markets or trade shows. I think that getting my brand and image out there would greatly help to build up my brand!