Kuyper Students Compete in Annual Business Competition at GRCC

When Kaleb Gardner first arrived at Kuyper College, it was the chance to play college basketball that excited him most.

But over time, it’s been the community and opportunities in the Business Leadership program that have truly anchored his Kuyper experience.

“For example, I got to intern for a semester at Tabernacle Community Church and participate in the MWest Challenge,” he said.

The MWest Challenge is a regional business pitch competition that draws students from colleges across West Michigan—and Kuyper has had a strong presence there for more than a decade.

This year, Gardner and fellow business leadership students Savannah Grinage, Ian Klenk and Xavier Lee advanced to the final round of the competition, held in mid-April at Grand Rapids Community College.

Their team was one of many representing schools from the West Michigan Colleges & Universities Group (Aquinas, Calvin, Cornerstone, Davenport, Hope, GRCC, Grand Valley, Kendall and Kuyper) that submitted executive summaries for a shot at the finals.

Their venture, Lawncare Edge, is a fresh take on landscaping services—designed specifically for senior citizens who need help with yard work. What makes it unique, Gardner explained, is its emphasis on pairing college students with clients to work alongside them rather than simply doing the job for them.

The goal? Personal intergenerational relationships.

“Older people want to engage with the younger generation. Plus, they want and need help but, like any of us, don’t want to be taken out of the process,” he said.

The idea for Lawncare Edge started last summer when Gardner picked up a job helping an older couple with house-sitting, yard work and gardening.

“It came about by accident,” he said. “I started helping one older couple who needed someone to watch their house and take care of their yard and garden. From there it just grew and grew.”

For Kuyper students in Business 311: Entrepreneurship, the MWest Challenge is a highlight of the year. The course guides students through the process of developing a business concept and pitching it to a panel of in-class judges. Select teams then move on to compete in MWest.

To be considered for the competition, each team must submit a three-page executive summary. Those summaries are reviewed and scored by multiple judges and the top-rated entries move on to the final rounds.

Marc Andreas, Associate Professor of Business Leadership and program director, says the competition leaves a lasting impression.

“It’s such a memorable experience for our students. I’ve even had a number of conversations over the years with alumni where this is the thing that they remember most out of their time at Kuyper,” he said, smiling.

What Andreas appreciates most is how the MWest Challenge pushes students to connect their entrepreneurial drive with their Christian calling.

“It’s been a good experience for our students to consider that and then walk into a competition that doesn’t explicitly require it. It helps them see how unique Kuyper is in incorporating those things,” he said.

That’s a takeaway Gardner won’t soon forget.

“I would love to create more business ideas that are about helping people and making life better from a Christian standpoint instead of just making a business for money,” he said.