University of Tulsa Brews Up Entrepreneurship With Goldie’s Grounds Coffee Lounge

Students at the University of Tulsa now have a space where they can put their entrepreneurship skills to work before finishing college.

Goldie’s Grounds is a coffee lounge that offers students a place to get their small businesses started.

It's Business 101. The students say they found a need and made a lounge that has a universal application that anyone on the campus can use.

Business is brewing at the University of Tulsa's Collins College of Business with the help of its newest coffee lounge.

Program Director Dr. Nathan Woolard says Goldie’s Grounds provides a place for students to network and mentor others on the basics of business.

“We see this as a potential place in order to be able to showcase the types of projects the students are working around on campus in order to be able to bring attention to those student’s startups or those student’s side hustles that are happening and trying to help them in the promotion of that,” Woolard said.

Goldie’s Grounds promises a platform for students to showcase their creativity and also comes with a unique twist. Free coffee from local nonprofit She Brews Coffee House.

It was made possible when 3 graduate students took the idea to Williams Energy, which funded a quarter of a million dollars for the lounge.

“We created a comprehensive plan of exactly what furniture items we would like, how we would involve students from other disciplines like the incorporation of the art pieces from students from the art school, and then I presented the overall budget of what that would look like, and we were approved for this lounge,” graduate student Lauren Agpoon said.

Grad student Nick Parisi says the lounge meets student's needs year-round.

“We actually have another fair that a lot of students will make their own crafts at, and that’s their opportunity to sell it, but that only happens once a year,” Parisi said.

Grad student Hannah Overmeyer says the space also gives students experience in pitching their products directly to others.

“There’s a level of communication and comradery that comes along with a space like this. With kids having the opportunity to relax and talk and meet, it’s crucial,” Overmeyer said.