When Rachel Dentinger finished writing a play for her honors capstone project, she still wasn’t satisfied. She wanted to turn it into a professional performance.

To make this dream a reality, Dentinger, a senior music education major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, met with an IDEA Connector.

IDEA Connectors are students that represent the various colleges on campus. They work with the IDEA program, formally known as the Raymond von Dran Innovation and Disruptive Entrepreneurship Accelerator. IDEA is centered on helping students start for-profit and nonprofit ventures in Central New York, according to the IDEA website.

IDEA is having its grand opening of the IDEA Spot at Marshall Square Mall this Friday.

Tory Genets, the student entrepreneurial consultant for the IDEA program, oversees the connectors and meets with students to help them in their entrepreneurial endeavors.

She played a key role in brainstorming the IDEA Spot and turning it into a reality.

“One of the problems was pure communication and branding what entrepreneurship is on campus,” Genets said. “It helps to have a physical space.”

The IDEA Spot will function as Genets’ new office, where she and the other Connectors will meet with students. The space can also be rented out for students to pitch their enterprise ideas to companies in Syracuse and the surrounding areas, Genets said.

Walls painted to be used as whiteboards and comfortable, moveable furniture are aspects of the IDEA Space that Genets said she hopes will foster its creative purpose.

Genets said Marshall Square Mall was chosen because it is a neutral spot on campus that will hopefully encourage collaboration among students from all of the colleges.

When the IDEA Spot opens on Friday, Genets said she plans to have IDEA Connectors present to help answer questions from passers-by. She said she also hopes to incorporate some food and music into the opening.

Chris Guimarin, a junior communications design major and IDEA Connector, also helped with the development of the IDEA Spot. He recently finished designing the IDEA Spot logo that will go on the back wall of the room, and spent many hours helping to sand and paint the space.

“I really see it being one of the key pillars for entrepreneurship on campus,” Guimarin said. “It’s designed to be that one place that students can go to figure out where to go next.”

Dentinger, the music education major, said she thinks the IDEA Spot will make meetings with IDEA Connectors more professional.

“It would have been nice when planning my performance to have more tools and resources handy during the meetings,” she said.

Dentinger said she often met with her IDEA Connector, Caitlin Moriarty, in the basement of People’s Place to discuss the business aspects such as consolidating budgets.

“I feel like one of the benefits of the IDEA Spot is that it won’t intimidate people,” Moriarty said.

As a VPA graduate and owner of a company that helps art students launch their ideas, Moriarty said she understands that it can sometimes be intimidating and difficult for students from different colleges to interact in promoting an idea.

Marshall Square Mall is the perfect place for students from all colleges on campus to feel more comfortable sharing their ideas, she said.

Moriarty also said she thinks the IDEA Spot will add more professionalism and legitimacy to the role of being an IDEA Connector. She said she is excited for the day when someone reaches out to her with an idea and she can tell them to meet her at the IDEA Spot.

Said Moriarty: “It’s just an exciting first step for people with buds of ideas.”

Published on November 8, 2012 at 1:14 am

Contact Shannon: smhazlit@syr.edu