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Two Southwest students accepted into renowned ImagineU Entrepreneurship Program

By Chris Caldwell 

Two Southwest students with a passion for entrepreneurship were chosen for the 2022 ImagineU Summer Entrepreneurship program at the University of Memphis Crews Center for Entrepreneurship. 

Business Management students Brittani Morganfield and Faith Hill earned the right to attend ImagineU through a rigorous and competitive application process. The 12-week program focuses on developing entrepreneurial mindsets, immersing students with experiences where they learn, live and breathe entrepreneurship. 

Morganfield plans to use her ImagineU opportunity to collaborate with peers and grow her freelance business, Brittani Social. “I plan to learn as much as I can and apply the knowledge I gain to better understand the local and international perspectives of my business with the goal of potentially expanding my clientele,” Morganfield said.  “I see this experience as a business guidebook for my future ventures when I study abroad at a university in South Korea in 2023,” she said.

Faith Bell

Faith Bell

 Brittani Morganfield

Brittani Morganfield

For the first time, student participation in the program is the result of partnerships among Southwest’s Business and Legal Studies department, the Tennessee Small Business Development Center at Southwest (TSBDC) and the Crews Center. TSBDC pays participating students a $3,000 stipend for living and other expenses. 

NaShawn Branch, TSBDC executive director, says the program is a great opportunity for the city of Memphis and a great avenue for students to establish more connections in different entrepreneurial communities and spaces. “We are pleased to sponsor two students from Southwest for the ImagineU program as we believe it to be a living testament to building a bigger entrepreneurial ecosystem serving the Memphis community” Branch said. 

Bell owns and operates her own boutique and is currently majoring in entrepreneurship and small business management. She said the program will also provide her with the skills she needs to continue to expand her business.  

“To me, being accepted into ImagineU means I'm one step closer to success as an entrepreneur,” Bell said. “After finishing ImagineU and graduating from Southwest, I see myself becoming a more advanced and knowledgeable business owner. I'm looking forward to using all my training – from Southwest and ImagineU – to better understand my business and its place in the current and future marketplace.”