Happy Love Your Melon Day! St. Thomas President Julie Sullivan has declared Tuesday, Oct. 22, Love Your Melon Day at the University of St. Thomas, joining Mayor R.T. Rybak and Mayor Chris Coleman who made similar declarations on behalf of the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
In celebration of its first anniversary, a team of UST undergrads is spreading the word about its class assignment, turned social venture, Love Your Melon. For each hat this student-run company sells, another is donated to a child battling cancer. In less than one year, more than 2,000 hats have been purchased, with an equal number going to young cancer patients.
Watch Zach Quinn, the co-founder of the non-profit on KARE 11 Sunrise »
These student-entrepreneurs have expanded their company to give “Cloud Rides,” excursions for young cancer patients and their families in an airplane, helicopter or limousine. Today, officially Love Your Melon Day in Minneapolis, some local businesses are committing a percentage of their revenue to fund more cloud rides.
Watch co-founder by Brian Keller on WCCO »
Love Your Melon was born out of the University of St. Thomas’s introductory Foundations of Entrepreneurship course, otherwise known as the “Lemonade Stand Class.” Groups of students are given the same seed concept, a lemonade stand, and must develop a business model based on it. They bring their ideas to market during the one-semester class, with only the resources they can beg or borrow to get.
Watch a video about the Lemonade Stand Class »
The course earned the 2013 award for Special Recognition in Entrepreneurship Education Innovation by the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship. The class assignment is in its third year, with students focused on creating a positive impact in the world.
Learn more about St. Thomas' offerings in the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship, including undergraduate, graduate and executive education programs.
