How collaboration, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit turned hallways into a buzzing marketplace of ideas.
When the Rawls College of Business opened its doors on Wednesday, November 12th, it didn’t just welcome students and professors racing to their next class, it welcomed forty student-led ventures from every corner of campus for the Fall 2025 Rawls Marketplace. What began as a small pilot event in Spring 2025 with around ten vendors had grown into a full-scale, high-energy showcase of Texas Tech’s student entrepreneurship.
And the secret behind that growth? Collaboration.
At the end of the 2024-2025 academic year, Innovation Hub staff began meeting with Anish Quenem, Director of the Alderson & Griffin Center for Family Business & Entrepreneurship, along with members of BLU9 and the Raider Entrepreneurship Club. Together, they set out to build something bigger, an event that could meaningfully support student founders, elevate their ventures, and bring visibility to entrepreneurship across all majors.
The response was immediate. Applications poured in from students in every college at Texas Tech, representing everything from early-stage side hustles to fully operational small businesses. Forty vendors were selected, each bringing their product, their passion, and their ambition to the Rawls halls.
Preparing Students for More Than One Day of Sales
In the week leading up to the marketplace, the Innovation Hub provided hands-on support to help students make the most of the opportunity. Kathryn Dankesreiter, Assistant Director of PR at the Hub, hosted a marketing and sales workshop designed specifically for student vendors; covering booth design, customer engagement strategies, brand storytelling, and how to grow beyond a single event.
“As a Rawls College alumna, it meant a great deal to be invited back to support so many talented student founders. Entrepreneurship can feel overwhelming at times, and my hope was to give them tools and reassurance that they’re not navigating it alone,” said Kathryn.
For many of the participants, it was their first time receiving this kind of guidance.
One of those students was Kaylee Beardon, founder of Buttons by KB and the 2025 Rawls Marketplace Hub Hype Award recipient. Kaylee teamed up with her friend and fellow PR student Carley Edmiston, founder of Candles by Carley, to create a shared booth that blended their creative styles and entrepreneurial ambitions.
“I am so grateful for the opportunity to be apart of the Rawls Marketplace. It opened my eyes to more possibilities and opportunities with the Innovation Hub! It was a great experience where I learned so many marketing techniques, selling skills, and business ideas."
Vendor Spotlights: Creativity Across Campus
What made this marketplace so electric was the sheer variety of products, majors, and stories represented.
Students from a variety of majors joined in. A Fashion Management student created a build-your-own bouquet stand. Accounting students sold Pokémon cards and other unique collectibles. Human Sciences students designed pins to fundraise for UMC Children’s Hospital. An Electrical Engineering student displayed wood-burned art and 3D-printed designs. Students in Finance, Public Relations, Supply Chain, Marketing, and Economics also brought products ranging from clothing and hats to stationery and handmade goods.
Each booth told a story. Each student brought their own passion project to life.
The Power of Partnership
The Rawls Marketplace wasn’t just an event; it was a testament to what happens when colleges and departments work together to support entrepreneurial students. The Innovation Hub, Rawls College of Business, the Alderson & Griffin Center, and student organizations BLU9 and the Raider Entrepreneurship Club all played critical roles in planning, promoting, and supporting the marketplace.
“The Rawls Marketplace is a powerful example of what’s possible when the Hub, Rawls College, and student organizations work together. We’re grateful to be part of helping students turn their ideas into something real. The energy in the building that day proved just how much potential exists within our campus community,” said Ryan Bain, Innovation Hub Program Director.
By combining academic expertise, mentorship, business resources, and student leadership, the Marketplace demonstrated that entrepreneurship is not siloed within any single college but that it’s a university-wide culture. And when that culture is nurtured, students thrive.
At the end of the day, students and faculty gathered together to congratulate winners of awards sponsored by BLU9, the Raider Entrepreneurship Club, the marketplace's sponsors, the Rawls College, and the Innovation Hub. Kaylee was awarded the Hub Hype Award, an award recognizing the passion for entrepreneurship in a student entrepreneur, for $150 and a free student membership to the Innovation Hub.
Looking Ahead
The Fall 2025 Rawls Marketplace set a new standard for what student entrepreneurship events can look like at Texas Tech. With increasing student interest, cross-campus participation, and community engagement, this model has the potential to scale even further, bringing together colleges, departments, and organizations across Texas Tech and Lubbock to champion student founders.
The Innovation Hub is grateful to the Rawls College of Business for inviting us to collaborate, and proud to support a program that amplifies student ideas long after the last booth closes.
Because when students are given space, support, and community, their ideas don’t just sell…they grow.