Poole College Students Think and Do in Moldova
A group of students in the Entrepreneurship Clinic took their skills and experiences far beyond the classroom as they traveled to Moldova.
At NC State, students think and do far beyond the classroom — sometimes even across the world.
The Entrepreneurship Clinic is centered on experiential learning, emphasizing a hands-on approach where students actively engage in real-world entrepreneurial activities to acquire practical skills and knowledge.
This semester, one of the teams was paired with EduJoc, a Moldovan educational organization. The team created a marketing and fundraising strategy for the company. At the end of the semester, the team had a portfolio of deliverables to hand over to the founders, Igor and Victoria Hincu.
But this team got to do more than just a final virtual meeting with their partner company. The Social and Sustainable Innovation and Entrepreneurship program sponsored a trip to Moldova for the team to present their learnings, explore entrepreneurship in a different country and further develop a long-lasting relationship with the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) Moldova.
The three Poole College of Management students, Gustavo Armas, Alyssa Franklin and Juliana Romero-Cortes, along with Matt Fox, director of Social and Sustainable Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Josh Guter, program manager of the Entrepreneurship Clinic, worked to create an itinerary for the trip. They connected with key individuals to get insights, resources and advice on navigating all aspects of the trip.
“Being given the opportunity to work with a social business this past semester through the Clinic and have an impact on the other side of the world through our class work was amazing, but being able to go there in person and really see not only the fruits of our labor but the immense impact that EduJoc is having on the kids it hosts and its community makes me want to find ways to support them even further with fundraising and through future student collaborations,” said Armas.
The week-long visit was packed with cultural immersion, entrepreneurial conversations and exciting adventures. The team spent a day at the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova (AESM), where the focus was on fostering collaboration in education and entrepreneurship. Fox and Guter presented on the theme of “International Entrepreneurship, Challenges and Opportunities.” The Entrepreneurship Clinic student team presented their project deliverables to a group of ASEM students. The Clinic team interviewed AESM students to learn about their experience and expectations for the future of entrepreneurship in Moldova.
After the morning sessions, Olesea Fortuna toured the team around the AESM campus as well as important creative and technology centers in the capital of Moldova, Chișinău. These stops included social impact incubator GLIA, Mediacor – a multimedia hub at Moldova State University and the fashion-focused ZIP House at the Technical University of Moldova.
The team also traveled to the city of Stefan Voda. During this visit, they had discussions with students, educators and community leaders to share insights and best practices in fostering educational opportunities to empower young leaders in the region. The team visited the Palanca border crossing, where they toured guesthouses that support Ukrainian refugees. This excursion gave the team insight into rural innovation and social tourism possibilities.
EduJoc Atelier, the toy museum located in Floreni, hosted a Masa Mare la Muzeul Jucăriilor event that brought together Moldovan families, entrepreneurs and the team from NC State. This day was full of cultural exchange, shared meals and storytelling that lead to creative entrepreneurial thinking and international friendships. The GUSTOHORA gathering highlighted how community spirit and resilience are central to the enduring relationship between NC State and Moldova.
“I was most surprised by the amount of advice I got from many individuals there, sharing their stories and aspirations for the future of their country, the next generations, entrepreneurs, and the economic status of the world. People from elementary to PhD and beyond showed immense curiosity and fierce drive for continued learning,” said Romero-Cortes.
While abroad, the team also visited the Ministry of Internal Affairs, learned about the winemaking culture of Moldova, visited the Moldova-Ukraine border, volunteered at the EduJoc toy museum and explored popular spots with the local students.
Throughout the trip, the team learned more about the economy, entrepreneurship and possibilities for innovation in Moldova. “I am truly shocked by the incredible presence Moldova has and its potential to be a vital ally for the European Union. It has a booming wine industry, excellent fashion education and development, and roughly half of the people there are dual citizens with Romania, so it only makes sense to include Moldova as a part of the EU,” said Franklin.
This post was originally published in Entrepreneurship News.
