Danielle Flemister (middle), a student in Kent State
University's College of Business Administration, is the
recipient of the 2014 Rising Student Entrepreneur Award.
On Flemister's left is Deborah Spake, dean of the
College of Business Administration, and on her right is
Renee DeLuca Dolan, publisher of Cleveland Business
Connects magazine.

Kent State University’s College of Business Administration student Danielle Flemister is the recipient of the 2014 Rising Student Entrepreneur Award.

The Rising Student Entrepreneur Award is presented by Kent State’s College of Business Administration and Cleveland Business Connects magazine. The award honors a female student entrepreneur who has demonstrated early success though innovation, creativity and motivation. Flemister is the first recipient of the award.

Flemister is a double major in entrepreneurship and marketing with a minor in psychology. She also is founder and CEO of her own company, Dunya Jeane LLC, which is a clothing company that allows students to express their culture and diversity through clothing. The clothes are inspired by flags and symbols of various countries.

Since the company’s launch in December 2012, Dunya Jeane continues to gain momentum from being sold at festivals and cultural events. As CEO, Flemister manages interns, funds and inventory. She not only plans and executes the marketing effort for the brand, but also designs the apparel.

Flemister, a Cleveland native, graduated as valedictorian from SuccessTech Academy in 2009. Her academic success has continued throughout her time at Kent State. She is a four-year recipient of Kent State University’s Academic Achievement Award and recipient of the Cleveland Rotary Club scholarship. Additionally, Flemister and Dunya Jeane received an award from the College of Business Administration’s CEBI Student Venture Fund, which helps students fund their business ideas.

Flemister already is working to launch her second venture, AvaKare. The goal of the new start-up is to revolutionize children’s hospital wear. She and her team recently pitched the idea during Entrepreneurship Immersion Week at Hiram College and took second place.

As the recipient of the 2014 Rising Entrepreneur Award, Flemister will receive marketing and education mentoring for one year provided by Contempo Communications and Kent State’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation. This will include marketing Dunya Jeane through both Contempo Communications and the College of Business Administration’s communication channels, including email newsletters, social media, Web pages and feature articles.

For more information about the Kent State’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the College of Business Administration, visit www.kent.edu/business.