Student Film Festival Shares Lessons of Entrepreurship

Business professor uses student documentaries to teach lessons

TACOMA, Wash., March 22, 2007 – Each semester students in Professor Lynnette Claire’s class at University of Puget Sound’s School of Business and Leadership study entrepreneurship, but not by reading a dusty textbook. Instead, Claire requires her students “study” business owners by creating short documentary films about them. Then toward the end of the semester, the students gather for their very own film festival, during which they watch the final versions of each others’ celluloid masterpieces, discuss what they learned, and snack on popcorn and soda pop. “It’s fun for the students to learn a new skill—they already write a lot here.  The camera gives them an opportunity to explore the world of entrepreneurs in fine detail—over and over again as they edit.  They learn what makes their own entrepreneur unique, and they learn from each others’ experience as well,” said Claire. The 10-minute films profile area business owners, telling the stories of their daily lives as well as what inspired them to go into business for themselves. Fun and informative, many people in the community attend the Entrepreneurial Film Festival, including other business owners, would-be entrepreneurs, and consumers interested in learning more about the people behind their favorite businesses. The Entrepreneurial Film Festival opens at Rausch Auditorium at University of Puget Sound on Monday, March 19, from 7 to 9 p.m., and continues on Wednesday, March 21, from 7 to 9 p.m. Both showings are free and open to the public. Popcorn and soda are provided! Some of the businesses featured in the most recent Entrepreneurial Film Festival include: 4 Evergreen Countertops; Chalet Bowl & 26th St. Café; Corey Macourek New Media Design; Inform Puget Sound; Small Business Accounting Solutions, LLC; Together We Can; Art on Center Gallery; CCECO Lab and Filtration; Dock St. Sandwich Co.; Puget Sound Sailing Institute; Forza Coffee Company; Identical Harmony; Nick’s Fix; Papa Giki Heart Healthy Cookies; Sonja Clothing for Women; Industry of Indulgence; and Garden Sphere. To view a sampling of past documentaries, visit www.ups.edu/x9885.xml. More information on University of Puget Sound’s School of Business and Leadership is available at www.ups.edu/sbl.xml. For details on the on the Entrepreneurial Film Festival, contact Professor Lynette Claire at 253.879.3153 or send an e-mail message to lclaire@ups.edu.