FGCU Ice Cream Team to provide students with entrepreneurial experience
October 01, 2024
This past summer, FGCU employees cooled off with ice cream socials. FGCU leaders caught up with staff and faculty as they passed out ice cream. The ice cream socials were an opportunity to socialize, take a break from work and try new ice cream flavors.
Over 2,800 cups of ice cream were served, and feedback was collected to help create new flavors and understand customer preferences for a student-operated ice cream business at FGCU.
Faculty and staff take a break from work to enjoy ice cream and try new flavors.
So, what’s next for the creamery? With over 20 years of experience in business management and entrepreneurship, Julian Cheshire, supervisor of creamery auxiliary, will lead the FGCU Ice Cream Team. The ice cream team will offer service-learning hours as well as paid positions. Students with paid positions will be rotated through three sectors: production, sales and marketing. The ice cream will be made and sold on campus and will start at $4 per cup.
“Our student-run ice cream business provides a transformative learning experience for our student workers, offering them the chance to gain practical knowledge in every aspect of running a business,” said Cheshire. “From sourcing ingredients and managing production to developing marketing strategies and delivering top-tier customer service, students will learn how to navigate the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship.”
Students from FGCU’s Real Independent Successful Employment (R.I.S.E.) program stop by the Board of Trustees meeting in September and give David Vasquez, vice president for administrative services and finance, a refreshing ice cream treat for lunch.
Most recently, FGCU Board of Trustees were treated to ice cream by Cheshire and students from the FGCU Real Independent Successful Employment (R.I.S.E.) program.
Be on the lookout for the ice cream cart around campus this fall and support your FGCU students! For more information on the FGCU Ice Cream Team, contact Julian Cheshire at jcheshire@fgcu.edu.
