Sophomore year, Minnick was elected to be the President of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Scholars by his fellow scholars. As President, he helped coordinate and run events welcoming the new first years to Ohio State and helping them feel comfortable. A vivid memory for Minnick was karaoke night, where students got to sing any song they wanted, and Minnick sang Chappell Roan’s “Hot to Go!”
“I sang that song as a way of encouraging participation and to encourage the scholars to be comfortable with being vulnerable. I had a great time doing it, and everyone bonded over that.” Beyond karaoke night events, like Halloween game night, startup founder movie night, and ice skating, were held throughout the year. Through these events, scholars get to learn more about one another outside the academic setting and share their passions and dreams. Minnick helped build a community and provided support to fellow scholars. Being President fueled Minnick’s personal growth and taught Minnick skills he actively puts into practice.
Beyond Scholars, Minnick also found the opportunity to connect childhood passion to a leadership opportunity. From a young age, Minnick discovered a love for music, beginning with his parents playing CDs in their basement, and he eventually started playing guitar in middle school. Minnick always wanted to help others explore their creativity and feel confident in expressing themselves, so he created a new student organization called Scarlet Guitarists.
“It was rewarding to be able to play something—even if it’s hard or painful to learn,” said Minnick.
The idea for Scarlet Guitarists started with meeting the other cofounder, Naim Senhaji, who was playing his father’s acoustic guitar. Minnick taught him how to play a few songs, and the two bonded over music. Minnick explained, “We got the idea for Scarlet Guitarists because we realized there wasn’t something already happening.”
Scarlet Guitarists provides a space for students to learn guitar, enjoy music, relax, and spend time together. Minnick and the executives brought their vision to life by allowing people to “jam out” in the amphitheater. Scarlet Guitarists has collaborated with the Triangle Fraternity and done open mic events with Kafe Kerouac and Club D. He plans to continue collaborating and holding larger events in the near future.
“It’s about communication, delegating tasks to the team and making sure everything runs smoothly. A skill set that came straight from being president of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Scholars,” said Minnick.
Minnick has found success in pursuing his passion for music through the organization, but his academic and entrepreneurial pursuits are also thriving during his time at Ohio State. Minnick plans to continue bringing finance, entrepreneurship, and music into his future. Reflecting on his plan, he remarked, “the future is wide open. I want to mix the three of those together. It’s a unique challenge.” Ohio State allows Minnick to explore the possibilities across his future and rise to this unique challenge.
