Two UNL College of Journalism and Mass Communications students served as emcees for the Center for Entrepreneurship's 37th annual New Venture Competition. Sophomore Mackenzie Noble of West Dundee, Illinois and junior Alaina Tomesh of Rice Lake, Wisconsin, emceed the first two rounds of the competition on April 16 at the Nebraska Union, as well as the final round and award reception on April 18 at the Rococo Theatre.
"It was so fun emceeing an event like this; it helped me think on my feet, ad-lib and grow in my public speaking," Tomesh said. "I am so honored to represent the CoJMC and celebrate the accomplishments of other UNL students and Lincoln residents."
The New Venture Competition is a celebration of entrepreneurial learning and competition. As part of the competition, students pitch their business plans to judges from the Lincoln and Omaha business communities and field questions on current traction, monetization strategies, risky assumptions and more.
"Alaina and I had a blast on stage and are so grateful to have been a part of something so special," Noble said. "One of my dreams is to be an emcee or a host and this opportunity got me in front of an audience on stage."
Noble and Tomesh are both involved in Nebraska Nightly, the college's student-led newscast and Experience Lab program. Noble joined Nebraska Nightly during the spring semester of her freshman year and this semester, she's a student lead.
"I not only am continuing to learn how to produce a show better and better every day, but also learning how to be in charge of a group of 50 people that are also learning," Noble said. "I am so excited to continue doing this in the fall because this experience has set me up for future success."
Tomesh has also been involved with Nebraska Nightly since her freshman year. She first joined the team in the fall of 2021 and served as a student lead in the fall of 2023. This semester, she's part of the Nebraska Nightly leadership team.
"I can 100% say that every opportunity I've gotten—internships, awards, emceeing this event—is because of Nebraska Nightly," Tomesh said. "The connections I've made with our professionals-in-residence will serve me for years to come, and I've been able to learn different roles in the newsroom and have grown to love each of them."
Read more about the competition and this year's results here.
