Can you imagine going to college full time while running a US$2 million-a-year business? Daniel Negari of the University of South Carolina does just that— and his hard work is definitely paying off. He just won second place in EO's Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) regional competition. (See photo caption below for more details.)

The GSEA program was created in conjunction with Mercedes-Benz Financial to support current undergraduate students who run and grow a company while attending a college or university. Through GSEA, EO hopes to spread awareness of the organization and inspire these talented students to one day become EO members themselves. In addition, the GSEA award program encourages young entrepreneurs worldwide to increase their business knowledge, and it offers them a support system by giving them access to a network of peers who have successfully navigated the challenges of a startup business.

Student entrepreneurs are nominated for the GSEA program and then compete at the regional, national and then the global level at the GSEA Global Finals, to be held 1-3 November 2007 in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Over the past months, GSEA has held regional competitions in conjunction with chapters all around the United States and Canada, including EO Minneapolis, EO Los Angeles, EO Dallas, EO Boston, EO DC, EO Calgary, EO Toronto, EO Ottawa, EO Fairfield-Westchester, EO Philadelphia and more. In September, regional competitions will be held in Australia.

Here are some of the GSEA regional competition winners who will advance to the Global Finals and compete for the title and prize package valued at over US$125,000:

GSEA Texas Regional Competition

First Place: Tim Hamilton, Astonish Designs, University of Texas. This 23-year-old runs a four-person graphic design and web development business in Austin, Texas, USA.

Second Place: Jeff Livney, Livney+Partners, Texas Christian University. Jeff runs a business with 15 contractors and 50 customers from an office inside his parents' home. The 18-year-old student owns and operates Livney+Partners, a brand marketing company boasting clients like JP Morgan Chase Bank and Marriott Hotels.

GSEA Minnesota Regional Competition

First Place: Zach Vruwink, Zach’s Computers, University of Wisconsin. At age 19, Zach has grown his business’ revenues to more than US$300,000 annually. (Pictured on right.)

Second Place: Tyler Olson, HelpMeTy.com, University of St. Thomas (pictured on left). Tyler created a unique business model in the crowded computer services sector. HelpMeTy.com assists computer users with their technology troubles and with home theater installations, networking and much more.

GSEA Los Angeles Regional Competition

First Place: David Fan, Inkjetremix.com, University of California at San Diego. David is a student at UC San Diego, and his business sells ink and toner over the Internet. Inkjet Remix offers savings to consumers by selling remanufactured and compatible cartridges.

Second Place: Daniel Negari, Beverly Hills Mint, University of Southern California. Daniel’s commercial and residential real estate lending business, combined with developments of his own, have his 2007 revenues estimated at US$2 million for the year!

Stay tuned for more information on the GSEA finalists— the next generation of EO members. You may be seeing one in your Forum soon!

GSEA is always looking for undergraduate student entrepreneurs from any town, city or country around the globe. Please forward our website link – www.gsea.org – to any contacts in your network who may find it valuable, or feel free to nominate any undergraduate students you know who are running businesses.

For more information, email Erik MacKinnon, Emerging Programs Manager, or call him at +1.250.391.6035.