News 2015: First student-run business on UMass Dartmouth campus set to open this fall

Student entrepreneurs will run Jumpin’ Juice smoothie bar adjacent to Fitness Center

Following a semester-long competition that included more than 20 proposals submitted by students from a variety of majors, the first student-run business in the history of UMass Dartmouth will open this fall. Student entrepreneurs Sean Townsend ’16 of Carver, MA, John Tiernan ’17 of Westminster, MA and Mackenzie Benjamin ’18 of Taunton, MA won the Student-Run Business Association competition to run a smoothie bar adjacent to the University’s Fitness Center. The student team, made up of two business majors and a crime and justice studies student, has aptly named the business Jumpin’ Juice.

“On behalf of the entire UMass Dartmouth community, I would like to congratulate Sean, John, and Mackenzie on making history,” UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Divina Grossman said. “The entrepreneurial spirit of UMass Dartmouth will thrive through continued support of integrated student-centered experiences such as this one. Experiential leaning opportunities are a key ingredient to our students’ success.”

UMass Dartmouth’s Student Run Business Association (SRBA) was established last year to act as an oversight agency that supports student entrepreneurship on campus.  The SRBA is also made up of student leaders who seek to connect their fellow students from a variety of disciplines with the resources they need to launch small scale, non-profit businesses. In creating these business ventures with the student population, the SRBA’s focus is to stimulate an entrepreneurial atmosphere, support student growth in business, and bring together unique skill sets from all around the campus community.

The SRBA includes Jacob Miller, who serves as Student CEO, Maggie LeBrun, who serves as Student COO, and Marshall Dravenstadt, who serves as Student CFO.

The students selected to run the on-campus businesses will gain valuable experience in first hand co-curricular training, receive educational support from faculty and staff, along with life skills and business experience in an environment that encourages innovation and community involvement. UMass Dartmouth’s SRBA will seek to facilitate and grow student businesses, through faculty, staff, and community mentorship and funding. Building from the UMassDTransform2020 Strategic Plan, the mission and goal of this association is to promote an entrepreneurial culture on campus.

“Congratulations to our student entrepreneurs,” said UMass Dartmouth Student Trustee Jacob Miller ’16, who worked closely with the Jumpin’ Juice team and University officials to create the SRBA. “This is a tremendous first for our campus. I’m incredibly appreciative of the hard work put in by the students, faculty, staff, and administrators who helped make this happen.”

Jumpin’ Juice will open in the coming weeks as new and returning students arrive on campus. A ceremonial grand opening for the student-run smoothie bar will also be scheduled this September.

UMass Dartmouth distinguishes itself as a vibrant, public research university dedicated to engaged learning and innovative research resulting in personal and lifelong student success. The University serves as an intellectual catalyst for economic, social, and cultural transformation on a global, national, and regional scale.

Editor's Note: Jumpin' Juice logo designed by UMass Dartmouth College of Visual & Performing Arts student James Ferguson '16.