Fundraising challenge kicks off business competition

Students compete to raise money for cancer research

Julian Marentette challenges students to raise money for cancer research. Photo: Lizzy Hill

Julian Marentette has been crusading for 852 days to date, with one goal in mind:reducing the number of lives lost to cancer.

It began when a co-worker at Music Stop was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Marentette, now the revenue development co-ordinator for the Canadian Cancer Society, felt the need to act. Since then, he has lost several family members to cancer and has had several more diagnosed with cancer, which only strengthens his resolve to fight back against the disease.

His voice cracks slightly over the phone as he recalls losing three aunts and uncles and one brother-in-law. "We all know more than one person, in fact, maybe numbers of people who have been affected by cancer in one way or another," he says, pointing out that two out of five Canadians will be diagnosed with some form of cancer in their lifetime.

"Most people count how many days until they retire," he says. "I really enjoy each and every day that I come to work."

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Leah Skerry, Trumped organizer, says the competition gives students an opportunity to gain real world business skills. Photo: Lizzy Hill

Marentette spoke Wednesday at Saint Mary's University to kick off the third annual Trumped Competition, in which teams of students from Saint Mary's, Dalhousie and Mount Saint Vincent universities compete in three business-oriented tasks. He revealed their first task: raising as much money as they could for cancer research.

"The more you think outside the box, the better you will do at this event... Anything goes."

Except, of course, having a smoke-a-thon or organizing a pubcrawl, Marentette told the students.

An opportunity for entrepreneurial students

Aside from providing students with the opportunity to raise money for a worthwhile cause, the Trumped competition will give students the opportunity to gain useful entrepreneurial skills.

"They get to interact with real people for real causes," says Goran Radisic, project co-ordinator for Saint Mary's Student Entrepreneurship Centre, which facilitates the competition.

Radisic says the competition is often "the initial step" for students, in the move from the classroom to the real world of business.

"They're meeting with employers too. It's almost a step in the interview process," says Leah Skerry, Trumped project leader. Skerry excitedly points out that the numbers of students participating in Trumped has increased dramatically since last year.

Last year, 12 teams raised $19,196 in 10 days. This year their are 47 teams and almost 170 students participating in the competition.

"You can only imagine how much they're going to raise this time," she says.

Students have plenty of incentive to raise funds for cancer research. The team that places first will win $1,000 in cash and an additional $1,000 in travel vouchers. The second-place team will win $600 in cash and $600 in Nubody's gym memberships, while the third-place team will earn $400 in cash and an additional $200 in gift cards to local businesses.

"We're really excited about this," says Richard Minuk, a third-year management student at Dalhousie.

"We're pumped up and we're ready to start rocking, tomorrow morning early."

Minuk's team of four plans to raise $10,000 in the next two weeks.

"It's already been a good experience even though it's just the first day," he adds.

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