10A - Elevator Pitch No. 1

Elevator Pitch No.1

My name is Lexington Olsen and I am sophomore at University of Florida who is an active protestor for gun violence. Gun violence is a rising epidemic in the United States and last school year there was almost one shooting for every school day. It is time for the United States to enact change. I want to pursue a group of people who are active protestors and are willing to constantly urge and write to legislation to pass gun bills. These laws will enforce stricter background checks and take assault rifles of the market, and out of people’s homes. This is vital to the safety of the United States of America.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qelc0pDGqI

Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

I am addressing the issue of gun violence.  It is a rising epidemic in the United States and it is something society must urgently act upon. I interviewed three people who own guns and two people who do not own guns. The three people who did own guns that I interviewed all unanimously agreed that their must be stricter gun regulations. They can't believe how accessible assault rifles are these days. Although they own guns, they understand that the wholistic safety of the United States is more important than individual safety. It is shocking to them that school shootings are something that are still occurring after the amount of lives already lost. They want to work to push legislation to pass bills that will enforce stronger background checks and taking assault rifles off the market. The two people I interviewed without guns are active March for Our Lives members here at University of Florida's local protest group. They are trying to spread the word about Gainesville's first march and make it a march that is actually doing more than just speech but action.

Inside the Boundary	Outside the Boundary
Who: Students at UF who don't own guns and are active MFOL members.	Who: Three old men who own guns.
What: Make a statement and change through UF's March for Our Lives.	What: They are informed about the dangers of guns and agree change is a necessity.
Why: Only speech has happened about gun violence, it is time for real action and change.	Why: They understand that if stronger background checks were enforced and rifles were banned, America would be safer.

8A - Solving The Problem

Solving the problem

1: Gun violence in the United States is a growing epidemic. There is lose gun control and regulation because of the second amendment, which gives Americans the right to bear arms.

2: I believe that there should be stricter gun laws. To address the problem of gun violence, people, specifically young people, must use their voices to protest to Legislation to pass bills restricting assault rifles and enforcing stronger background checks to those buying guns. It is vital to pass bills in order to guarantee Americans their safety.

7A - Testing the Hypothesis

Stricter Gun Laws and Safety Regulation

Opportunity:

In the United States, gun violence is a growing epidemic as the Constitution does not properly address gun safety issues. As technology has advanced, assault rifles were invented and have given children a fear at school previous generations did not have. 

The Who: The United States Government.

The What: Not strict enough gun laws and gun safety regulation.

The Why: The second amendment gives Americans the right to bear arms.

Testing the Who: Are there bills we could pass through legislation to enforce gun safety? 

Testing the What: Would it really benefit anyone arming teachers in school, or create more gun safety flaws, scaring students even more? 

Testing the Why: Is there a way we could process stricter gun laws and implementing stricter gun regulations without the process of amending the Constitution so it is done in a timely matter?

Interviews:

1. Julia Cordover: A sophomore here at the University of Florida and an alumni of Marjory Stoneman Douglass. She is an advocate for stronger gun laws and ensuring children safety in schools. From first hand experience, she understands what it is like to fear you won't make it home from school. She believes a group fighting Legislation to pass stronger gun laws is vital to the safety and moral of the United States of the America. 

2. Marie Lear: A parent to a University of Florida student and a victim of losing a loved one to gun violence. She believes that America will crumble if the Government doesn't listen to the voices of the younger generations crying for help and safety in their schools. In the back of her mind she has concerns sending her children to school, especially now that they are in college and walking around vulnerable campuses.

3. Luke Gidus: A sophomore at the University of Florida who doesn't understand why our Government has done more to protect students in schools. It seems the tv shows shootings almost everyday, particularly during the school year. He feels strongly that University of Florida students, and students everywhere shouldn't fear going to school everyday.

4. Lexi Phillips: A sophomore at the University of Florida and an advocate for gun safety and laws restricting the use of assault rifles. She admitted that when a lot of random commotion and loud noises are going on, for a second she gets scared it could be a shooting.

5. Grace Lear: A sophomore at the University of Florida and wants to have a voice in the advocation for amending gun laws. She knows nothing about gun safety and feels all schools should implement a gun safety course, or an online course informing students of procedures in the case of a school shooting. 

6A - Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends

4 Opportunities:

1. Natural disasters are becoming more common because of climate change.

a: https://www.thebalance.com/top-usa-future-economic-trends-3305666

b: Climate change is a huge problem that is getting worse overtime. As climate change is increasing it is causing natural disasters such as floods and droughts to happen more frequently. This is a problem that is getting much worse, to stop climate change from getting worse everyone needs to work together and take care of the environment. There are easy steps to taking care of the environment such as not using cars and buses as frequently, using energy wisely, clean up trash thats outside. 

c: Every single person is a customer

d: It would be difficult to create a cleaner environment because climate change has been a serious issue for a very long time. Everyone is aware of this problem and the issues that are caused by climate change but not everybody puts an effort to make a change. 

2. The older generation are not retiring which is causing huge issues for the younger generation who are on the search for jobs. 

a: https://www.thebalance.com/top-usa-future-economic-trends-3305666

b: The older generation is not prepared for their retirement, this is causing them to stay in the work force. This is a problem for the younger generation because there are not enough available job opportunities. This problem can be solved by providing the right information about how much money needs to be saved for retirement. If this was something that more people knew then they would be able to retire and move out of the workforce and make room for the younger generation. 

c: This information about retirement will benefit the younger and older generation.

d: This problem would be fairly easy to solve. If the older generation would have had the correct knowledge about retirement then there would be enough room in the work force for the younger generation who are on the search for jobs. 

3: Trump says that he will raise existing tariffs on Chinese Goods 

a: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/23/business/china-tariffs-trump.html

b: The 30% increase of existing tariffs on Chinese goods will cause the trade of goods and services between the US and China to become very competitive. This would cause the price of goods purchased by Americans to increase and it would negatively affect businesses because they now have to purchase more expensive products. However, this can also benefit the US economy because there will have to be more goods that are being produced in the US which means that there will be more available jobs for people. 

c: This will affect most Americans

d: This will benefit the US economy by decreasing the amount of people who are unemployed

4: There have been more mass shootings than days this year

a: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mass-shootings-2019-more-mass-shootings-than-days-so-far-this-year/

b: There have been more mass shooting in the US in 2019 than the number of days that have passed in this year. Just in this current year there have already been 283 mass shootings. This is a serious problem that is affecting so many peoples lives in America. The younger generations have the opportunity to find their voice and protest for stronger gun laws and harder background checks.

c: This will continue to effect the younger generations.

d: This issue will take years to change due to the fact that the second amendment gives people the right to bear arms, and it is an intense process to amend the Constitution.

5A - Identifying Local Opportunities

Opportunity 1: (The Independent Florida Alligator)
Title: Blood left at a church crime scene led to arrest of Gainesville man months later, deputies say
Link: https://www.alligator.org/news/blood-left-at-a-church-crime-scene-led-to-arrest/article_9765ce10-d4f5-11e9-9462-174737840df5.html
Story: Drops of blood that were left on the crime scene led to the arrest of Kyle Blundell. He was charged for breaking into the baptist church. Blundell has been in the Alachua County Jail since Tuesday afternoon, charged for burglary and criminal mischief of a church, both of these are third degree felonies. Damages include a broken window, the pastors office door, a broken mirror and an interior door. It is still unknown why he broke into this church.
Problem: This is a problem because it took months to solve this case and arrest the man responsible for the crime. Since this took so long to arrest the man, he could have committed more crimes.
Who has the problem?: This is a problem for anyone who lives in Gainesville because they might have been in danger. This is also a problem for Kyle Blundell because he has been arrested for committing a crime.

Opportunity 2: (The Independent Florida Alligator)
Title: UF student reported she was raped in Jennings Hall, UPD says
Link: https://www.alligator.org/news/uf-student-reported-she-was-raped-in-jennings-hall-upd/article_03622c12-d41f-11e9-9b96-9fab926c54c5.html
Story: A student at UF told campus security authority that she was sexually assaulted less than a month ago in her dorm. Two weeks later, the guy accused of raping her was announced and he was sent to jail. UPD provides tips to avoid sexual assault such as not walking alone, being aware of surroundings, and to walk in the opposite direction os a vehicle.
Problem: This is a problem because when a college student gets raped, it causes the other students to feel unsafe and scared.
Who has the problem?:This is a problem for the girl who was raped because this is something that will affect her forever. This is also a problem for the guy who did it because he will always have this on his record.

Opportunity 3: (the Independent Florida Alligator)
Title: Multiple people stabbed in Tallahassee, authorities say
Link: https://www.alligator.org/national/breaking-multiple-people-stabbed-in-tallahassee-authorities-say/article_99bbab02-d4b0-11e9-ab5f-73453f774933.html
Story: Officials say one person is in serious condition and two other people are inn fair condition and two more are in good condition. The suspect is now in custody.
Problem: This is problem because there was a violent crime committed that could have killed people.
Who has the problem?: This is a problem for the victims who are injured and for the suspect because he committed a crime that ruined his life and put other people in danger.

Opportunity 4: (The Independent Florida Alligator)
Title: Former Gators football player Neiron Ball dies at 27
Link:https://www.alligator.org/news/former-gators-football-player-neiron-ball-dies-at/article_8682581a-d41a-11e9-bae8-2b5049d0a243.html
Story: Former Florida and Oakland Raiders linebacker Neiron Ball died after battling a brain illness. He was in medically induced coma since last September because of a brain aneurysm that paralyzed all four of his limbs.
Problem: This is a problem because unfortunately he died. However, another problem is that the doctors failed to know exactly what had happened to him, causing them to state his death as unclear. This makes the doctors look bad to his family and other people.
Who has the problem?: The family and friends os Neiron Ball are faced with the sadness and loss. They are also never going to know exactly what caused his death.

Opportunity 5: (The Independent Florida Alligator)
Title: Gainesville man arrested following four armed robberies in six days, police say
Link: https://www.alligator.org/news/gainesville-man-arrested-following-four-armed-robberies-in-six-days/article_48561a28-d059-11e9-a1c4-b70a5a37ea9e.html
Story: Jaret King turned himself in on Saturday and he was arrested. he had multiple charges of robbery with a firearm and aggravated assault to others.
Problem: This causes a problem because he stole from so many people and its a problem because he had to turn himself in and the police never caught him.
Who has the Problem?: This is a problem for the people who got robbed. Jaret King also faces a problem because he is now in jail.

4A- Forming An Opportunity Belief

One of the challenges that college students deal with is eating disorders. College is a big change for many students. The four years spent at college can be very stressful and overwhelming for students and some students do not know how to properly deal with stress or anxiety. Stress and anxiety can cause many problems including over eating or not eating enough. The workload in college is much different then what students are use to from high school. This increases in workload, busy schedule and managing food intake in college can cause unhealthy eating habits that some students will not be able to control, which can lead to an eating disorder. Eating disorders have always been around and people have been dealing with them for ever but it is getting worse. The amount of students who are reaching out to mental health counselors is increasing. Colleges do offer free mental health counseling to every student, but not everyone who needs help reaches out. eating disorders and mental health should be more talked about so that those who need help will feel comfortable reaching out. I believe that counselors should spread the word about the UF Counseling and Wellness Center. This would make students who need help feel more comfortable to talk about their problems. I am 75% sure that this opportunity exists for UF counselors to talk to students about seeking help for their problems.

#1- Female who is a sophomore at UF

• Was the first year of college a big change for you?

"Yes, freshman year of college was difficult for me. I faced so many problems like making new friends, trying to keep good grades and and trying to stay happy."

• Do you think that the majority of college students have a difficult time dealing with stress and anxiety?

"Yes, I think that everybody has many problems and difficult times while being in college. I faced many problems last year that I am still trying to deal with now. College is just hard for me because I have struggled anxiety for most of my life."

• Do you think that stress and anxiety can cause unhealthy eating habits?

"Yes, I do not face problems with unhealthy eating habits but I have a friend who deals with an eating disorder that gets worse when she is is very stressed."

• Are you aware that up to 20% of women in college suffer from an eating disorder?

" No I did not know that, but it does not surprise me."

• How do you think talking to a mental health counselor can help students deal with their eating disorder?

"I personally think that students who get help and talk about their problems or disorders can improve their health and how they feel."

• Have you ever talked to a counselor at the UF Counseling and Wellness Center? 

"No I have not"

Reflection: College students are aware that many of their peers suffer from eating disorders that can be caused by stress or anxiety. It seems that if students had more knowledge about the UF Counseling and Wellness Center, they would go and be able to talk about their eating disorder or any mental health problem.

#2- Male who is a sophomore at UF

• Was the first year of college a big change for you?

"My first year at UF was fine, I had fun but should have tried harder to get better grades.

• Do you think that the majority of college students have a difficult time dealing with stress and anxiety?

"Yes I think that a lot of students have a hard time managing their school work and social life which causes them to get stressed."

• Do you think that stress and anxiety can cause unhealthy eating habits?

"yes, stress and anxiety can cause problems like unhealthy eating habits. But I think that females deal with unhealthy eating habits and eating disorders more than males do."

• Are you aware that up to 20% of women in college suffer from an eating disorder?

"No I didn't know that, that is crazy."

• How do you think talking to a mental health counselor can help students deal with their eating disorder?

"I think that talking to anyone especially a mental health counselor can benefit a students life who is dealing with an eating disorder."

Have you ever talked to a counselor at the UF Counseling and Wellness Center? 

"No I have never talked to a counselor."

Reflection: After talking to a student who does not suffer from an eating disorder, I realized that even if the students don't deal with this they are still aware that there are students who do. The students who do not have unhealthy eating habits still believe that counseling can benefit the students who do have this disorder. 

#3- Female who is a Senior at UF

• Was the first year of college a big change for you?

"Yeah, I had a hard time transitioning from high school to college. College was just so different and I had trouble managing all my classes and trying to do the best I could in all my classes. I just remember feeling like I was always studying and I never had time to hangout with my friends."

• Do you think that the majority of college students have a difficult time dealing with stress and anxiety?

"Yes, throughout college I have realized that everyone around me is always stressed and some people deal with serious stress and anxiety that is difficult to handle."

• Do you think that stress and anxiety can cause unhealthy eating habits?

"Yes, one of my good friends has really bad stress and anxiety and it actually caused her to never eat enough and she is still suffering with an eating disorder."

• Are you aware that up to 20% of women in college suffer from an eating disorder?

" Wow, no I didn't know that. I knew a lot of women suffer from it but I never realized how many people it actually effects."

• How do you think talking to a mental health counselor can help students deal with their eating disorder?

"I think that talking to a mental health counselor is so helpful. My friend who has an eating disorder has actually talked to a counselor somewhere on campus and it has helped her a lot."

• Have you ever talked to a counselor at the UF Counseling and Wellness Center? 

"I never have, but I recommend it for anyone who is dealing with any mental health problem because it has really helped my friend."

Reflection: After this interview, I realize how many students deal with eating disorders and mental health problems. College students support talking to a mental health counselor to get help.

Summary: After interviewing college students about stress and anxiety and how it can lead to an eating disorder, I still believe that this opportunity is necessary. I now realize that many students deal with stress and anxiety which can lead to unhealthy eating habits, but not all students know about the Counseling and Wellness Center at UF. If more students were aware of this, I think that it would give them a place to go to talk about issues in their life that are negatively their life.

 

3A - Your Entrepreneurship Story

My Entrepreneurship Story 

This is one of the many stickers Camryn has created 

One of my best friends Camryn Meranchik has recently started making and selling shirts. Camryn originally made many things like stickers and shirts just for fun because she enjoyed it. She began to get really good at making shirts and stickers and has made a lot of different styles. After a lot of practice and perfecting her skills she realized that she can start a small business and sell what she creates. She now makes and sells Gator themed shirts, stickers and jewelry for people to wear on game days. Watching Camryn create a small business from what use to be her hobby was very inspiring to me. She has taught me how important it is to do something you love and to always work hard. 

I have many goals in life and one of them is to start a business selling clothes. After watching my friend Camryn start her small business I realized that this is possible. This was why I chose to take ent3003. I am excited to learn more information and skills it takes to become an entrepreneur.