CENTER VALLEY, Pa. (December 12, 2017) — Lehigh Valley LaunchBox (LVLB) continues its educational event series focusing on the unique challenges and victories of female entrepreneurs called LaunchBox Ladies: From Passion to Profit with a January program.
Using multiple formats including conversational interviews, videos and events, LaunchBox Ladies will share the stories of women at all stages of their businesses and careers. A series of conversations are scheduled through summer 2018 and are free to students and the public on a limited first-come, first-served basis.
All events take place at the Penn State Lehigh Valley campus from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and include lunch.
The next conversation will take place on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2017, featuring Khine Alkhal, founder and owner of Khineder Creations, international speaker and philanthropist. Born and raised in Burma, Alkhal received her Ph.D. in Human Security from the University of Tokyo, and came to the U.S. in 2013. While traveling the world as a humanitarian worker, she was exposed to devastating human, drug and sex trafficking and wanted to empower the struggling women that she met. In 2016, she opened Khineder Creations in Emmaus, which features chemical-free bath and beauty products made from traditional Burmese recipes and locally sourced organic produce. A portion of all her proceeds provide struggling mothers and survivors of abuse with an income that offers independence. She appears as a speaker and panelist at international conferences and symposiums on sustainable solutions for irregular migration and reintegration of migrant workers’ families in developing countries.
She will be interviewed by Nichola Gutgold, professor of communication arts and sciences at PSU-LV and an internationally-recognized scholar on the rhetoric of women in non-traditional fields. Her research has been featured in The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, NPR, US News and World Report, the LA Times, and multiple international press outlets.
This event is sponsored in part by the Penn State Lehigh Valley Student Business Society.
Upcoming LaunchBox Ladies events include:
Wednesday, Feb. 14
Speaker – Paige Lilly, Founder, Fresh View Fitness
Interviewer – Liz Keptner, Director, PSU-LV Multimedia Innovation Center
Wednesday, March 14
Speakers – Gabrielle and Brittney Flank, Founders, Frosting Company
Interviewer – Catherine Bailey, Rea.Deeming Beauty, Inc.
According to the National Association of Women Business Owners, females represent 36 percent of businesses in the U.S. and will generate more than half of the 10 million new small business jobs by 2018, yet face loan approval rates 20 percent lower than their male counterparts and have decreased access to elected officials.
With a mission of community-facing support for entrepreneurs invested in the economic growth of the Lehigh Valley, LVLB and Invent Penn State develop programming that supports the start-up process. LVLB also acts as a business accelerator by awarding micro-grants biannually.
To register for the event, visit the LaunchBox Ladies registration website, https://whennow.com/event/launchbox-ladies–from-passion-to-profit-1.
For more information, visit the Lehigh Valley LaunchBox website, email LVLaunchBox@psu.edu or email Valerie Peters at vpeters@psu.edu.
Information regarding the Invent Penn State initiative is available online.
About Penn State Lehigh Valley
Penn State Lehigh Valley provides a world-class education in a small campus setting that integrates innovative teaching, research and community outreach. With its convenient location in Center Valley, traditional students and adult learners can choose from many options including 9 bachelor’s programs, which can be completed at the campus, as well as access to 160 academic programs offered by Penn State University. The campus’ diverse Continuing Education and Outreach programs offer opportunities for professional development, business training, and youth programming. For more information, visit lehighvalley.psu.edu.
About Invent Penn State
Invent Penn State is a Commonwealth-wide initiative to spur economic development, job creation and student career success. The initiative facilitates the challenging process of turning research discoveries into valuable products and services that can benefit Pennsylvanians and humankind. Invent Penn State blends entrepreneurship-focused academic programs, business startup training and incubation, funding for commercialization, and university-community collaborations. In 2015. Penn State was issued 55 U.S. patents, executed 30 licenses and options, formed 10 startup companies, and received 117 invention disclosures. If you’d like to connect with the initiative, visit invent.psu.edu.
Information provided to TVL by:
Dennille Schuler
PR Specialist | University Relations
Penn State Lehigh Valley
2809 Saucon Valley Road, Center Valley, PA 18034
lehighvalley.psu.edu
