Brittni Echols wins Elevator Pitch Award at the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Social Business Challenge
Alcorn State University senior Brittni Echols did a tremendous job at representing the university by winning an award at this year’s Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Social Business Challenge in Jackson, Mississippi.
The competition, which was held Wednesday, Feb. 10, gave students from Mississippi’s public universities a chance to present ideas for addressing obesity, which is one of Mississippi’s most serious issues.
Brittni, a senior majoring in agricultural economics with an emphasis in international agriculture, earned the Elevator Pitch Award during the challenge. She was a member of Team CROP: College Reach Out Program from Alcorn’s School of Agriculture, Research, Extension and Applied Sciences. The team’s focus was on fighting obesity and obesity related health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, depression and anxiety by introducing locally grown food choices like sweet potatoes and shiitake mushrooms for healthier living.
“I was ecstatic to find out that I won an award at the Mississippi Social Business Challenge,” said Brittni. “It feels good to see that hard work does pay off.”
Professor and Assistant Dean of Academic Programs in the Department of Agriculture Dr. Wesley Whittaker showed his pride in Brittni’s achievement and overall performance.
“Brittni’s accomplishment at the Mississippi Social Business Challenge was undoubtedly outstanding,” said Whittaker. “She made us all at Alcorn extremely proud of her superior performance. Winning the pitch contest was a reflection of the special talent that she possesses. As one of our most capable, thoughtful and reliable scholars at Alcorn and as one of her mentors, I see tremendous intellectual promise in her. The sky is the limit!”
