An article by Alayna Day and Nathaniel Eaton, recently published in The Appalachian, Appalachian State University's independent, student-run news publication, features Walker College of Business students, alumni, and staff and their work launching Sweet Carolina Water, a student‑made, sustainably packaged spring water.
The venture emerged after industry partners—including entrepreneur and alumnus Ed Seckinger MKT '85—presented the idea to Managing Director Erich Schlenker at the Transportation Insight Center for Entrepreneurship, who in turn shared it with students in the Association of Student Entrepreneurs (ASE). The students led the development process, from branding to operations, gaining hands‑on experience in teamwork and problem‑solving along the way.
Sarah Zwaryczuk, a junior marketing major and the director of sales for Sweet Carolina Water, commented on the growth and development of the project. She said in the beginning there was a lot of “what if” and now there is more “we are.”
“Being in this club has just been really encouraging and has given me a sense of what it feels like to be an entrepreneur and to build something from scratch,” said Kiera Murphy, a junior management major.
Read the full article, Sustainable, student-made Sweet Carolina Water, on The Appalachian's website.
About App State's Association of Student Entrepreneurs
ASE is one of 20+ business‑focused student organizations at App State that offers students a hands‑on way to develop professionally and, alongside their major coursework, helps them explore and prepare for their chosen fields. ASE welcomes students who are passionate about founding and operating their own companies, providing inspiration, creativity, and practical expertise for launching and managing successful ventures. Find more clubs at https://business.appstate.edu/clubs.
About App State's Center for Entrepreneurship
The Transportation Insight Center for Entrepreneurship at Appalachian State University was founded in 2006 and is housed within the university’s Walker College of Business. The center helps Appalachian students — regardless of major — faculty, staff and alumni conceive, develop, incubate and launch new business ventures, turning their ideas into reality. The center is named for Transportation Insight, a nationally recognized third-party logistics (3PL) company specializing in supply chain management. Learn more at https://entrepreneurship.appstate.edu.
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