One of the most rewarding parts of what we do at College Hill is seeing how the support of our clients allows us to give back, stay connected to our communities, and be part of moments that inspire the next generation of leaders and innovators.
WSU Business Plan Competition
This past month, College Hill had the opportunity to sponsor the 2026 Washington State University Business Plan Competition alongside several other incredible organizations including Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Lee & Hayes, Submitable, Believe in Me Foundation, and Gesa Credit Union.
I also had the privilege of serving as a final round judge alongside an incredibly impressive panel of business leaders and professionals. As judges, we evaluated the top student venture teams based only on their live presentations that afternoon.
Honestly, I walked away incredibly impressed.
The level of preparation, confidence, and professionalism these students brought was amazing to watch. Every team clearly understood the problem they were trying to solve and had put real thought into how they would bring their ideas to life.
One of the most valuable parts of the competition was that our role as judges was not just to score presentations. We were there to challenge the students, ask difficult questions, look for gaps, and help them think through how their ideas would hold up in real-world situations with investors, customers, and business partners. It created such a meaningful learning environment and you could tell the students genuinely valued the feedback.
Moments like this are such a good reminder that the future is bright. The talent, creativity, and innovation behind these businesses was incredibly inspiring.
This year’s competition featured incredible ventures across the board, but Opulence AI took home both the $10,000 Grand Prize and the Best Technology Venture award at the university’s 23rd annual event.
Partnering with CSULB College of Business
Another opportunity that meant a lot to me this semester came through a fellow Coug alumni who now teaches at the CSULB College of Business. We were approached about helping guide graduate students through their final project, which was centered around College Hill and digital marketing strategy in a real-world setting.
Throughout the semester, Corissa, our Marketing Manager, and I met with the students once a week to talk through actual challenges, opportunities, and problem-solving within the digital marketing space. Instead of working through hypothetical scenarios, the students were able to apply what they were learning directly to a real business and real marketing challenges.
It was honestly so fun to watch the students take classroom concepts and turn them into thoughtful strategies and ideas. Their creativity, engagement, and willingness to think outside the box brought a fresh perspective. You could tell they genuinely cared about the project and wanted to create meaningful solutions.
Relationships & Community Beyond Business
One thing I continue to appreciate is how relationships and community can create opportunities that go far beyond business transactions. A simple Coug connection turned into a partnership that benefited students, created meaningful conversations, and gave us the chance to support future business and marketing leaders.
At College Hill, we talk a lot about creating remarkable experiences. Sometimes that happens through the products we create. Other times, it happens through the opportunities we are able to support because of the trust our clients place in us every day.
To our clients, thank you. Your support allows us to do more than fulfill orders. It allows us to stay involved, give back, and invest in future leaders and innovators.
And to the students, professors, entrepreneurs, and organizations we had the chance to connect with this semester, thank you for the reminder that passion, innovation, and big ideas are alive and well.
- Jen Gangwish, CEO
Reach out to our team today and let's start building something remarkable together!