‘Breadth, depth and quality’ of students’ business plans impress judges.
COLUMBIA, KY. (04/15/2025) Lindsey Wilson College senior Isaac Garang Duop has a special reason he wants his business, Alaar Enterprises, to succeed.
He believes its success will help his native South Sudan become a more stable nation.
Duop was the top winner at the 2025 Lindsey Wilson Entrepreneurship Expo, held Monday, April 14, in the Norma and Glen Hodge Center for Discipleship. A total of 21 teams of 33 Lindsey Wilson students competed for top recognition at the business fair, which was sponsored by the Lindsey Wilson Center for Entrepreneurship.
The top three winning concepts were determined by a panel of judges from the region.
Duop’s company, Alaar Enterprises, aims to help build hospitals and schools in South Sudan by money generated off of betting on sports and other forms of entertainment. Since the East African nation of about 12.7 million people gained its independence in 2011, it has been plagued by civil war and famine. Duop hopes that his company can help change that despair.
A business administration major with an emphasis in entrepreneurial management, Duop wants to first aid his native Juba, which is South Sudan’s capital city. Duop said that building more hospitals and schools in South Sudan will help create more jobs through construction projects and then increase the standard of living by services offered in the buildings.
“It is all about the people of South Sudan,” said Duop. “People are suffering a lot, with more than 90% unemployment. So it’s about helping the economy of the country, helping the people who are unemployed, helping the orphans that are not going to school.”
Doup won a $1,000 cash prize for his business concept.
Second place and a $750 cash prize was awarded to Russell Creek Farm, which proposes to turn undernourished cattle into high-yield beef products by utilizing distillers grains. That idea came from Cash Stephens ’25 of Russell Springs, Kentucky, and Jaland Larmond ’25 of Old Harbour, Jamaica.
Third place and $500 cash prize went to Taylor Harvey ’25 of Columbia with Kentucky Heritage Tours, which offers travelers “a stress-free way to experience Kentucky’s hidden gems and cultural treasures.”
The People’s Choice award, which was presented to the concept with the most votes out of 1,842 cast, was presented to EcoLush by Andre Filho ’25 of Piracicaba, Brazil.
“The judges said they were impressed by the breadth, depth and quality of our students’ ideas,” said business faculty member Linda McKinley-Grider, who is also director of the Lindsey Wilson Center for Entrepreneurship in the School of Business and Communication.
After a hiatus of more than five years, McKinley-Grider said she was pleased the expo returned — and returned in an impressive way.
“Having such a large number of students participate in its first year back says that students are eager to apply the ideas and concepts they learn in the classroom to the real world,” she said.
Most of the students who entered the expo came from the college’s “Small Business Management” and “Entrepreneurship” classes, but some students entered because they wanted to develop a business concept.
That was the case for Rebekah Stevenson ’27 of Russell Springs, who aims to open Arte Cafe, a local business that she plans to open after she graduates from Lindsey Wilson. Arte Cafe will be a mix of a bakery, coffee shop, art gallery and store. Stevenson’s plans call for the shop to offer art classes for a fee, as well as sell coffee, baked goods, art and merchandise.
Stevenson’s inspiration for the store was her late father’s store, Bill’s Auto Repair in Russell Springs.
“It honors my dad with a love for family and a love for community,” said Stevenson, who is a business major with an emphasis in marketing and an art minor.
Isaac Garang Duop ’25 of Juba, South Sudan, right, is presented a facsimile check for $1,000 for winning the 2025 Lindsey Wilson Entrepreneurship Expo, held Monday, April 14, in the Norma and Glen Hodge Center for Discipleship. At left are Lindsey Wilson business faculty members Linda McKinley-Grider, JC Phelps and Cathy Boatright.
Cash Stephens ’25 of Russell Springs, Kentucky, far right, and Jaland Larmond ’25 of Old Harbour, Jamaica, placed second in the 2025 Lindsey Wilson Entrepreneurship Expo, held Monday, April 14, in the Norma and Glen Hodge Center for Discipleship. At left are Lindsey Wilson business faculty members Linda McKinley-Grider, far left, and Cathy Boatright.
Taylor Harvey ’25 of Columbia, right, took third place in the 2025 Lindsey Wilson Entrepreneurship Expo, held Monday, April 14, in the Norma and Glen Hodge Center for Discipleship. Harvey is joined by Lindsey Wilson business faculty members Linda McKinley-Grider, left, and Cathy Boatright.
Andre Filho ’25 of Piracicaba, Brazil, was the People’s Choice winner in the 2025 Lindsey Wilson Entrepreneurship Expo, held Monday, April 14, in the Norma and Glen Hodge Center for Discipleship. Filho is joined by Lindsey Wilson business faculty members Linda McKinley-Grider, left, and Cathy Boatright.
Lindsey Wilson College is a vibrant liberal arts college in Columbia, Kentucky. Founded in 1903 and affiliated with The United Methodist Church, the mission of Lindsey Wilson is to serve the educational needs of students by providing a living-learning environment within an atmosphere of active caring and Christian concern where every student, every day, learns and grows and feels like a real human being. Lindsey Wilson has an enrollment of more than 4,000 students, and the college offers 28 undergraduate majors, five graduate programs and a doctoral program. The college’s 28 intercollegiate varsity athletic teams have won more than 120 team and individual national championships.
(Duane Bonifer – Lindsey Wilson College)