Four Rollins College Students Named Gene Apelado Scholarship Winners

Winter Park, FL, March 07, 2014 --(PR.com)-- A student team from Rollins College heading to a competition at Jacobs University in Bremen, Germany has been awarded Gene Apelado Scholarships.

Juliana Abdelnur, Maria Alexandra Primera, Barbara Primera, and Luisa Pelaez submitted a business plan to an entrepreneurship competition focused on smart technologies. They were one of the few teams that made it all the way through to the finals.

“As a senior majoring in international business, this competition is an exciting way to end my Rollins career,” said Pelaez. “On behalf of Team Piezol, we want to express our sincere thanks to Mr. Apelado and everyone at Rollins who is making this trip possible.”

The idea the students on Team Piezol proposed is based in part on reducing gasoline consumption by increasing the parking process in open-air parking lots. The product will use solar panels and piezoelectric cells to generate electricity, benefiting both consumers and the environment.

The scholarship was made possible by a donation from Gene Apelado, the President of Launch That, a prominent Internet marketing firm headquartered in Orlando. Mr. Apelado requested that the funds be used to enhance the school’s mission of offering its students experiential learning opportunities abroad.

“This kind of generous support from Gene complements so well the mission of Rollins and the international business department,” said Dr. Ilan Alon, professor of international business and chairman of the department. “The mission of Rollins College is to educate students for global citizenship and responsible leadership and the entire international business department is delighted to be so well represented by these impressive students.”

The finals for the competition will take place on 29 March 2014 in Bremen, Germany.