FORT MYERS, Fla. — Students at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) are breaking away from the norm and using their degrees to create jobs instead of applying for them.
Sean DeRossett, a graduate student at FGCU has used his time in the classroom to help others hit all the right notes.
His company is Keyrift.
DeRossett told Fox 4 that he came up with the idea for a product called Improkeys while earning his Bachelors's degree in the Entrepreneurship program at FGCU.
“I reached market this summer,” said DeRossett
It's a major that students like DeRossett can now earn their Master's degree in.
“I created this device that simply highlights the notes and cords within a scale, so really the idea behind the Improkeys is it breaks down the piano keys into a group of notes that sounds good," he said.
DeRossett says he created the color-coded pieces using a 3D printing machine.
Students like Sean DeRossett who are in Daveler & Kauanui School of Entrepreneurship, each day in the classroom is another step towards creating a career of their own.
“We have developed programs both at the undergraduate and at the graduate level that helps students to work on ideas that they have and instead of doing a project that doesn't have any meaning for them, it’s something they can use," said Dr. Sandra Kauanui, the Director Daveler & Kauanui School of Entrepreneurship.
Dr. Kauanui, or Dr. K, if you ask her students, says the program at FGCU is giving students the freedom to work on their passion which has helped keep students like DeRossett interested in school.
“Prior to starting in the entrepreneurship program at FGCU, I really wasn’t a big student, I wasn’t the most proactive but once I came here I found a passion for it, and now my vision is finally aligned,” said DeRossett.
A vision that Dr. K says is helping them create more job opportunities for people in Southwest Florida.
“Well I’m telling ya, I know how to keep them in Southwest Florida… you help them to start businesses, and then they employ more people,” said Kauanui.
Dr. K says any major can enroll in the entrepreneurship program and for students like DeRossett, he says it was the best decision he could have made for his business.
“It’s the best way to go about building and creating something which is what I love to do,” he said.
To learn more about Sean DeRossetts company, Keyrift, click here.
