Age: 21
Education: Associate in arts degree from Jefferson State Community College, earning degree in business entrepreneurship at UAB
Why is innovation important to you and why do you think it’s important to the future of Birmingham?
Innovation is important to me because it allows us to stay competitive and open-minded. I personally believe in the idea of continuous learning for all no matter how knowledgeable one may seem. Innovation encourages us to constantly seek improvements in all areas of business, and it encourages entrepreneurs to stay creative and to question everything. I believe innovation is important to Birmingham for the same reasons. The growth seen in nearby cities like Atlanta and Huntsville is incredible, and by fostering creativity and innovation here in Birmingham, I believe we will be able to keep up with them.
What is Birmingham doing right and what can we do to improve our innovation scene?
From a student perspective, I believe Birmingham has some of the best mentors and resources for young entrepreneurs. As seen by the support from the Barefield Entrepreneurship program, Innovation Depot, UAB offices (like the Service Learning and Undergraduate Research office) and nonprofit organizations (like The ARC of Shelby County), the guidance of these organizations truly inspires confidence in young innovators. I believe Birmingham not only sees the potential in its students, but it also acts on the potential by providing development opportunities for us with real experiences. As far as improvements, despite Birmingham's opportunities for student growth, it ranks poorly as one of the most dangerous cities in America with a low Quality of Life score. I think this could be affecting UAB's undergraduate enrollment rates with a -5.0% decrease in undergrad students, and business undergrad majors saw a -5.9% decrease comparing Fall 2023 to 2023. I believe young individuals are finding it harder to see the value in a UAB education when analyzing statistics like these, and therefore choose other schools or career paths. This disconnect is disheartening because of the resources I know UAB can provide to these students, and the talent students could bring to Birmingham.
How is Birmingham competing with larger innovation and entrepreneurial markets like Nashville, Austin and Atlanta? What do you think we have that they don’t?
Slightly repeating my answer above, I believe Birmingham competes with others with the support and personal mentorship it provides to its upcoming entrepreneurs. Birmingham's vibrant community stands out through the partnerships between UAB and surrounding organizations. No matter what major you are in, I feel like the college has created an extensive network that allows students to get connected with what they're passionate about by utilizing resources like Handshake and BlazerPulse which directly connect students to opportunities around Birmingham. What also makes Birmingham uniquely exciting is the growth that is currently happening in Northern Alabama. According to CNBC, Alabama ranks high on most improved state for business, and it is largely due to the migration of college-educated workforce to Huntsville. I believe this should be very exciting for the Birmingham community as it might see echoing effects from this increase.
