Language is an important aspect of someone’s culture. It can define who we are, and it can symbolize prior sacrifices our ancestors have made. Sophomore business administration student Alexandria Young explained that her inspiration for her HawkTank project, Lingo Leap, stemmed from her knowledge of Spanish and the importance of dialects.
Young discovered that Castilian Spanish spoken in Spain is not the same as the Spanish spoken in Latin America. She was introduced to different dialects and wanted to create an app which shows off each dialects’ uniqueness. She said that she noticed a gap in the Language Learning market for education.
According to Young, her mission is to “promote active engagement in communicating in the target language constantly.” Everyone learns in various ways, and it is pertinent for the application to accommodate visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles.
Her company is also focused on representation within the Spanish-speaking community. Each country has a special history, customs, and different identity. Rather than centering on one dialect, the business will use inclusivity standards and push learners to educate themselves on all versions of the language.
Young expressed her gratitude to the University and Center of Entrepreneurship. Her classes have prepared her for business foundations and creating plans for the company to succeed. She also received one-on-one answers in preparation for Pitch Day.
Specifically, the Director for the Center of Entrepreneurship, Alison Gilbert, has helped Young develop Lingo Leap. Gilbert has assisted her in developing her talents from a business perspective. She also has realized the skills she can offer to a business and the corporate world.
Amanda Stojanov, MFA, assistant professor of communication, gave Young the opportunity to collaborate with her User Experience class on Lingo Leap. This allowed Young to involve her peers in Lingo Leap and disseminate information about the company.
Rajnarind Kaur, MBA, adjunct professor of management and leadership, also aided her in preparing a Pitch Deck for HawkTank. She was able to feel comfortable presenting about Lingo Leap and passionate about its objectives. Young talked about her overall process and said, “this whole experience has taught me the importance of getting out of your comfort zone and believing in yourself. It will take you far!”
The HawkTank competition will commence on Apr. 17.
