Story and Photos By Deidre Pike
RSJ faculty

Governor's Cup finalists from the Reynolds School included journalism major Stevi Wara and business major Jocelyn Pulido, who won $1,000 for their plan for a Web site for Hispanic moms called Parafamilia.com.
Grad student finalists included the RSJ's Emily Setzer and Jeff Stephens who won $1,000 for their business plan, Wildermaps.com.

A plan for an online farmer’s market, created by two RSJ graduate students, proved an award-winning business idea. Gov. Jim Gibbons presented students Abbey Smith and Melissa Voigtmann with a $5,000 check April 26 for their business plan, Simply Healthy Food.

Three RSJ student teams were finalists in the 2007 Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Collegiate Business Plan Competition. The teams’ plans were crafted during an innovative class that melded journalism and entrepreneurship, taught by Mary Jurkonis, general manager of Reno.com, and RSJ professor Ed Lenert.

“This signifies a new path for the students of the Reynolds School of Journalism,” Lenert said, “where they can see themselves not as employees but as owners and managers of new media enterprises.”

When implemented, Lenert explained, Simply Healthy Food will be an advertiser-supported site that directly links farmers and consumers, while hosting forums and providing articles and information about healthful food.

“The panel of distinguished Governor’s Cup judges recognized both the power and the practicality of their Simply Healthy Food idea,” he said, “to create an online community that brings together local food producers and consumers.”

Lenert was pleased to see teams from the journalism school competing alongside science and engineering students.

Other Reynolds School finalists included journalism major Stevi Wara and business major Jocelyn Pulido. Their plan involved an ad-supported online community for local Hispanic moms called Parafamilia.com. The two earned $1,000 as one of seven undergrad finalists.

RSJ grad students Emily Setzer and Jeff Stephens won $1,000 for their business plan,  Wildermaps.com, a “wikipedia-style collaborative online guidebook for non-motorized outdoor recreation.”

More than 400 students, friends, mentors and guests attended the award gala at the Siena Hotel Spa Casino. Graduate and undergraduate competitors won $20,000 first prizes, $10,000 second prizes and $5,000 third prizes. Most of the winning teams came from UNR though the first place for undergrad business plans was awarded to a team from the Sierra Nevada College in Incline Village.
New to the competition were two Lt. Governor’s Awards for plans that involved clean, renewable or efficient energy technologies and fuels.

Gibbons lauded the state’s entrepreneurial spirit.

“Nevada would not be what it is today without the vision of pioneering people who were forward-thinking enough to face the challenges and obstacles in their way,” he said.

He pledged to maintain Nevada’s status as the most favorable regulatory climate for entrepreneurs by conducting reviews to ensure the state stays friendly to business.

Gibbons said he expects these young people, which he referred to as the “Millennium Generation,” to become the driving force of change.

“I have become more impressed with this generation every day,” he said. “They are technologically savvy and when they see opportunities, they step forward and make it happen.”