VaLanDria Smith-Lash, founder of Coarse Culture and one of the 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30 Chicago, credits her success to her partnership with The Lee and Rosemary Fisher Innovation College@Elm.
“I highly recommend College@Elm to entrepreneurs who are truly ready to work. It’s a space of opportunities and abundant resources. If you speak up, you’ll get connected,” said Smith-Lash, who graduated from Miami in 2023. “Partnering with College@Elm has boosted Coarse Culture, leading to increased activity on social media accounts, a surge in sales, and numerous connections.”
Photo provided by VaLanDria Smith-Lash.
The Innovation Center’s vision is to serve as an incubator for ideas. Coarse Culture, a skincare line that Smith-Lash began developing at 14, found support at the Innovation Center, where she was provided space to manufacture her products and connect with individuals who helped her build her business.
Entrepreneurs also have the opportunity to engage with potential partners such as PSE, RedHawk Ventures, 1809 Capital, the City of Oxford, and The Fischer Group.
An advanced air mobility company and a robotic company are now in negotiations with College@Elm, said Randi Malcolm Thomas, vice president of Miami’s Office for Advancing Strategy, Partnerships, Institutional Relations, and Economy.
He said that collaborations with REDI Cincinnati, JobsOhio, and Dayton Development Coalition have advanced the center’s initiatives.
“These collective accomplishments underscore the resounding success and growth of College@Elm in just one year,” he said.
College@Elm was founded in 2020 when Oxford City Council authorized officials and Miami University to pursue state funding to revitalize the former Miami food services hub at 20 S. Elm St. Renamed The Lee and Rosemary Fisher Innovation College@Elm, the facility was awarded a $1 million grant from Ohio’s 2021-2022 state capital budget.
“I believe the future of this building will address the gap left in our economy when school is not in session,” said Seth Cropenbaker, Oxford’s economic development specialist. “Our partnership with College@Elm is to diversify the local economy.”
According to the January 2023 Oxford Tomorrow Comprehensive Plan, 49% of jobs in Oxford are associated with Miami, with another 30% in service roles, leaving the economy vulnerable when school isn’t in session.
New this year is the Home Town Initiative, still in its early stages.
“This initiative includes upscaling current residents, supporting individuals in rural areas, pioneering a K-12 talent pipeline to offer high school students the opportunity to graduate with both a diploma and an associate degree. And establishing pathways for Miami University students and graduates to partake in internships within their hometowns or other communities,” Thomas said. “Darke County serves as the pilot for this groundbreaking project, set to unfold this summer.”
Coarse Culture is forging a new partnership with College@Elm, to establish a cultural cohort program that will provide students with hands-on experience in entrepreneurship. The program divides students into five sectors – production, sales, marketing and media, ambassadorship, and social media- to offer a rounded learning experience.
Smith-Lash said that her experience with College@Elm was transformative, and she expects that the new program will be for others.
“The ongoing Cultural Cohort will be instrumental in my business and also provide students with firsthand experience in entrepreneurship,” she said.
