On April 7, Enactus held their annual Shark Tank competition in McInnis Auditorium. Three students participated as contestants in the event, where they pitched their businesses to three business experts in the hopes of winning a $1000 prize.

Those “sharks” were rough at times, questioning the candidates, but they also gave their best advice regarding whatever weakness they saw in the business. Three individuals took their shot, but only one came out alive.

That person is Jenna Evangelista, a girl who loves to run and wants to share her experience with other people so that they can have confidence in their running. Evangelista is passionate about the sport she loves. A Reading, PA native, Evangelista started her business three years ago and has come a long way since the beginning. As an Exercise Science major, she knows about the different approaches to conditioning and workouts and she enjoys exercising what she knows through the business she runs.

Three years ago, before anything was well-established, some of Evangelista’s friends needed help improving their running. “Some of my friends were signing up for races and knew that I’m an Exercise Science major, and with me being a collegiate athlete, they came up to me and asked, ‘Jenna, can you help me out?’ So I made just a rough training plan at the start, then it got more complex as I got experience,” she reflected. As her training plans became more complex and more and more people asked for her help, her hobby became a business, Maxx Running Inc.

How she got involved in “Shark Tank” is a story of its own.. Her sister, Carley, won the competition three years before, and that gave Evangelista the inspiration to participate in the event as a way to grow her business. Fast forward to today, in her senior year, she competed as an actual contestant. And her hard work paid off; she won the competition and the $1,000 that came with it. She intends to use the money to hire personnel such as a webmaster for her website and personal trainers to work alongside her. Advertising is on her agenda as well, to grow her clientele.

Her future looks bright, as she aims to work in cardiac rehab and, of course, always continuing to run and improve her business. She offers these words of wisdom to all runners: “Running is a journey, it’s not something that you can wake up and just run ten miles, it takes a lot of practice and sticking with it even on the hard days, what you put into it will let you see the results you want out of it.”

As the saying goes, “You may think your light is small, but it can make a huge difference in other people’s lives.” Evangelista exemplifies this by working with her clients not only to improve their running, but also to improve their lives.

When a person who is new to Eastern comes and looks around at how beautiful the campus is, one could think of the people who make this institution the way it is today. People who have influenced and mentored others. People who want to find answers to why things are a certain way. All for our curious minds to ponder and think about. One person in particular has not only made that impact on waking up the world, but also laid the foundation for future classes not only to experience but to build upon as well. Danielle Semsey, a communications senior from Closter, New Jersey has made that extra step to make an impact on herself and the university.

Over the past year, she has been involved in a group called the Master Plan Task Force, a task force designed to give select students the opportunity to voice their concern about university policy. When Danielle heard about the tuition raise this past year, she was so frustrated that she emailed President Duffett to talk about the matter.  He gladly accepted the invitation. During this conversation, President Duffett mentioned the task force that he was developing and asked her if she would want to be a part of it. Danielle accepted the offer and went around different parts of the campus, quizzing students about what campus changes they would like to see. Her brightest moment came when she was invited to speak to the Board of Trustees about the changes that students hoped to see on campus. “One of the coolest opportunities was being able to stand up in front of all those people and be the voice of Eastern’s student body,” Semsey reflects. One of the immediate impacts of the task force was to develop a mall shuttle for the weekends. Students reserve their seat on the mall shuttle and pay one dollar to ride it to the King of Prussia mall. Not only does the mall shuttle help students out but also allows Eastern University to make some money as well to aid in the budget a bit. All of this would not have happened for sure if it was not for Danielle’s sense of change and the support of the people around her.

Semsey’s efforts extend past the campus of Eastern University. In addition to her work on the Master Plan Task Force, she currently interns with Young Lives, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping teenage mothers in the area. For Semsey, this experience has been profoundly impactful, and it is the continuation of a family tradition; her mother was a director for a crisis pregnancy center for four decades. She also interns for another company, Renaissance Communications. They are the middle man between organizations, celebrities, events going on in the community, and the media outlets. Both of these internships give Semsey a chance to use her talent in the field of communications to live out the virtues of faith, reason, and justice that she has honed while at Eastern.

After Danielle graduates in May with a degree in communications, she intends to go into the public relations field and pursue what she most enjoys: working with people and media outlets so that they can be successful. She does leave these words of wisdom for incoming class of 2020: “College is a time where you get to hear other people’s opinions, and just having an open mind is so important. When something is on your mind, speak up, because you never know who is listening.” Semsey is right; we should all begin to speak up, no matter if we’re starting our college careers or ending them.

It’s Saturday morning. The sun is shining and you get up and wonder, what can I do in the city of Philadelphia that is fun and affordable for me? Fear not — a lot of places in Philadelphia are either free or cheap. Face it, we as college students do not have a whole lot of extra money to spend. This list will give you opportunities to enjoy the city of Philadelphia at little to no cost.

For all the historians out there, let’s get started with the historic Independence Hall. Did you know that Philadelphia was America’s first capital? Well, here you can explore how this city became the meeting place for the early government of America. Not to mention that Independence Hall was the site where the founding fathers wrote and signed the Declaration of Independence.

For the art lovers, the Philadelphia Museum of Art is a magnificent place where world-renowned artists, both past and contemporary, display their work for all to see. The cost of admission is just $14 when you present your Eastern ID. On the first Sunday of each month and every Wednesday evening, you can pay as much as you like. Starting with just a penny, you will have access to a wide range of art. When leaving the art museum, you’ll walk down the many steps taking you back to the ground level. Known as the “Rocky Steps,” these steps are named after the movie in which Sylvester Stallone had the honor of running up these steps.

You run up and down the steps and you start to feel hungry. Philadelphia has some cheap choices for all to enjoy. Rosa’s Pizza is one example. Located in Center City a block south of Jefferson Station, you can get a slice of pizza for a dollar. That’s right, just one dollar. Best of all, you can make a difference by donating some slices to help feed homeless people in Philadelphia. Amazing! If pizza is not on the agenda, perhaps the Reading Terminal market can indulge your appetite. Walk up and down the aisles full of vendor stalls, and experience a cheesesteak, stop at a restaurant, or indulge in some fresh produce.

When you are all full, you may like to try to burn off your indulgence. Fairmount Park west of the Schuylkill River is a place where people from all around come and exercise. Whether it’s running, biking, walking, or just enjoying nature, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Lastly, there is something for lovers of any sport. During the mid spring and early fall, you can watch the Phillies play baseball in the park that they’ve called home since 2004: Citizens Bank Park. During the dark and cold days of winter, the Wells Fargo Center has hockey and basketball teams that entertain people throughout the season.

So there you have it, a list of what you can do inside the city of Philadelphia on any given day. I hope that this list will give you cheap options not only for you, but your friends as well.