Junior Abigail
McCrory, majoring in marketing and entrepreneurship at Washburn, learned the
skills of managing and owning a business while observing her parents develop a
coffee shop in Rossville, Kansas.
McCrory was a recipient of the School of Business Magnificent Seven Award as
one of Washburn’s top students specializing in marketing. This award is meant
to acknowledge students who best represent the School’s core values – honesty,
trust, fairness, respect, integrity and responsibility.
“I think the beauty of the Magnificent Seven Award is that it is not solely
based on academic performance,” said McCrory. “The winners are so diverse. We’re
all a friendly face on campus.”
While pitching business ideas, McCrory won second place and $6,000 in this year’s
Washburn Pitch Competition. During the second attempt of participating in this
competition, she received first place and $8,000. McCrory also received a
$15,000 grant from the Student Business Accelerator Fund to jump start her
business proposal.
“It’s really exciting that Topeka believes in Washburn, and that the School of
Business has all of these opportunities to help young entrepreneurs get going,”
said McCrory.
Working three part-time jobs, McCrory worked as a student caller alongside Courtney
Artman, development director of annual giving at the Washburn University Alumni
Association and Foundation. In three years, McCrory raised over $40,000 to give
back to the School of Business.
“[In the future] I see Abigail running and overseeing her business in the
Topeka area,” said Artman. “She’s set her heart on helping the Topeka community
when she graduates.”
McCrory plans to use these funds to start a coffee truck business. McCrory’s
passion also extends beyond her coffee truck plan by aspiring to become a
serial entrepreneur in Topeka.
“Marketing obviously helps with social change because marketing is the study of
how people make decisions and purchasing decisions,” said McCrory.
McCrory also supports and works alongside GoTopeka as they develop the
revitalization of the capital city in their 2022 movement.
“Topeka has a lot of negative stigmas around it,” said McCrory. “I’d like to be
able to use the social change aspect to cultivate more entrepreneurial or
positive experiences for Topeka.”
McCrory’s minor is in leadership with an emphasis in social change. When
combined with marketing and entrepreneurship, these make for powerful and
valuable skills.
Rick LeJuerrne, a lecturer in entrepreneurship, taught McCrory in class, but
oversaw competitions that McCrory was a part of.
“What’s more exciting is [finding out] what she’s going to do later in life,”
said LeJuerrne. “She’s got this skill set that I would watch out for.
Eventually, I see her as a business owner and who knows what that will be.”
The most notable trait that LeJuerrne observes about McCrory is her
determination in anything that she does.
“Her key advantage is that she’s great at presenting a plan, while taking
advantage of opportunities,” said LeJuerrne.
McCrory holds a keen eye to developing a business plan, but holds compassion in
her heart to give back to a larger community.
“We’re really taking our leadership to the next level, not only being good
business students, we’re focusing on Topeka and the community,” said McCrory.
