Student entrepreneur wants to help make other people's dreams come true
One of the questions that Nick Harper, a senior entrepreneurship major from Decatur, Ill., gets asked is "What are you going to do after graduation?" The usual assumption is that he is going to start his own business, but that is not exactly what Harper has in mind.
With graduation coming up in a few months, Harper is looking toward the future; a future with endless opportunities.
"I feel like that is my problem with finding a career," Harper said. "I like too many things and I can't decide on one."
Harper first attended Richland Community College where he received his associate degree. He then chose to transfer to мÓÆÂÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ University because of the proximity and familiarity with the University, and the .
Throughout his short time at мÓÆÂÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾, Harper has gained real-world experiences in the same city that he calls home. Harper has also traveled abroad to Denmark, interned as a tour manager for a local band, been a member of the Tabor Student Advisory Council and has been part of multiple student-run ventures.
"One of my favorite things about мÓÆÂÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ are the student-run ventures," said Harper. "I'm a part of two student-run ventures: Blue Brew Coffee Shop and Pipe Dreams Studio Theatre. As far as Blue Brew goes, I think the class is interesting because there's a lot of people in it. It works and it's really cool because it does work."
Blue Brew Coffee Shop was originally launched back in 2017 as a one-week pop-up shop to test the idea of turning into a student-run venture. With much success, мÓÆÂÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ students currently manage the coffee shop in the Hickory Point Bank building in Downtown Decatur. Going on three years, new groups of students take charge running the coffee shop each semester.
