"I hope we have the opportunity to work with some of them as AU students in the coming years!" Vogel said.

The feeling was mutual among the LaunchX Club members, who came away with a deeper sense of what it takes to integrate business and creativity to build a successful venture, said Brian Field, LaunchX sponsor and TJHS humanities teacher.

“This trip was a reminder for us that we need to make a more conscious effort to expand our horizons, and we need to do more to get involved in the entrepreneurial community,” Field said. “It was exactly what we needed. We could not have come to a better place to visit.”

Students will surely apply lessons learned as they prepare for two globally-recognized entrepreneurship competitions: the Conrad and Diamond Challenges which, for some, might just serve as a precursor to Kogod’s numerous entrepreneurship and pitch challenge opportunities.

“Hearing more about the companies started by the students and the causes they work toward at the Veloric Center for Entrepreneurship was a fascinating way to learn more about the school and what it creates,” one TJHS sophomore and LaunchX student said of the visit.

“The professors were very collaborative, and the guest speakers were experienced and gave great advice,” another student shared.