Four Livingstone College Presidential Scholars recently took their talents off campus, traveling to Virginia State University to participate in the 2026 IndigoLife Business Symposium, an experiential learning opportunity designed to challenge students to think like entrepreneurs, collaborate as professionals and transform innovative ideas into viable business concepts.
From Aug. 6-8, Presidential Scholars Sabrena Hogan, Nariah Johnson-Furr, Ellis Dogbe and Joel Thompson represented Livingstone College during the symposium, where students engaged in team-based business development and a mock entrepreneurial competition.
For the Livingstone scholars, the experience offered something that cannot always be replicated in a traditional classroom: the opportunity to put academic knowledge to work.
Students were challenged to collaborate with their peers, identify needs within the marketplace and develop business concepts that could respond to real-world problems. The experience emphasized entrepreneurship, communication, leadership, teamwork and the ability to present an idea before an audience confidently. Junior business major Sabrena Hogan of Fayetteville distinguished herself during the symposium as her team won the mock business competition with a concept centered on supporting families through one of life’s most difficult transitions.
Her team developed a service focused on end-of-life preparation and support for families, recognizing that the death of a loved one often leaves families simultaneously navigating grief, funeral arrangements, important decisions and numerous practical responsibilities.
Hogan shared, “Rather than approaching entrepreneurship solely from the perspective of profit, my team’s concept demonstrated how business innovation can also respond to a deeply human need.” The proposal envisioned compassionate services that could help individuals and families prepare for and navigate end-of-life transitions with greater support, organization and dignity.
The victory was an important moment for Hogan, but it also reflected a larger objective of Livingstone College’s Honors Program: preparing students to enter unfamiliar spaces and demonstrate that they are ready to compete.
Hogan, Johnson-Furr, Dogbe and Thompson are members of Livingstone’s Anthony J. Davis Presidential Scholars, a community of high-achieving students whose collegiate experience extends beyond maintaining strong academic records. Scholars are encouraged to participate in research, professional development, service-learning, academic competitions and other opportunities that develop their intellectual and professional abilities.
Joel Thompson said, ” I believe a college education should provide students with more than information to memorize for an examination. It should create opportunities for them to ask questions, develop solutions, defend their ideas, work alongside people with different perspectives and discover what they are capable of accomplishing. Honors gives us this opportunity on campus and at conferences.”
The four Presidential Scholars carried those expectations with them to Virginia.
Their participation also gave Livingstone students an opportunity to connect with scholars and professionals outside their home institution, expanding the academic and professional networks that can become invaluable as students pursue internships, graduate education, entrepreneurship and careers.
For Livingstone College, the scholars’ participation and Hogan’s team’s victory represent another example of the institution’s work to create a culture where academic achievement is visible, celebrated and connected to opportunity.
Livingstone students are increasingly taking the life of the mind beyond Salisbury: into conferences, competitions, research experiences, leadership programs and professional spaces where they can test what they have learned.
This time, the road led to Virginia State University, and four Presidential Scholars returned to Salisbury having done more than attend a symposium. They represented Livingstone College, developed new professional skills, expanded their networks and demonstrated that when Blue Bears are given an opportunity to compete, they are prepared to perform.
For Hogan, the experience also came with something extra: a winning business idea rooted in compassion, service and the understanding that entrepreneurship can be about more than building a company.
Sometimes, it can be about building something that helps people when they need it most.
