Christopher McClure's knack for making bead and hemp necklaces provided him with the means to travel the expanse of Brazil for a year after he graduated from high school.
The sophomore media study major described his friends' and his adventure making enough money to sustain themselves during their stay in Brazil.
"Being pretty poor we were looking for easy ways to make money.
"We went to a local bead shops and bought some beads and hemp and blank shirts then went to San Paulo for a week and we sold our stuff as American made necklaces and American made tie-die and people loved it."
McClure and his friends used their skill to make money in a way that many would consider unconventional. In an era of youthful entrepreneurship many university students are marketing their skills.
Margaret Wong, a senior accounting major, is making herself something of a mini-fortune by college student standards with her participation in a growing online sales phenomena.
"I have been selling stuff on eBay since this summer in July," said Wong. "I was buying things from eBay at the beginning, but then I had a lot of things and I started selling them."
Wong said she took her interest in online shopping and made it a means of gaining revenue on eBay, a site where people are able to buy and sell used goods.
"I was selling my used stuff in the first month. After that, I started to shop particularly to sell," she said. "I bought a used brand name necklace at $50, and I listed it at $250. Somehow people were interested, and I sold it at $250 - for a used necklace. I literally made $200."
Aside from a $20 fee charged by eBay, Wong pockets whatever she makes from her sale. According to Dr. Sekar Raju, a marketing professor, businesses like eBay thrive because of their nature.
"It is really easy; it is a home-based business. The rent of display is also very low. The only thing you need is just a warehouse to store the goods."
"Easy," "home-based" fees that are "very low," are words that most college students would be pleased to hear and willing to work with.
Tiffany King, a senior legal studies major, said she was sure to consider the limited resources of college students when she started her mini-business. King said she made it a point of duty to give her hair braiding services for a reasonable price, charging between $50 to $100 per person, which she compared to a $400 fee at professional braiding shops.
King said her other motivation was the fact that she could make money without putting a strain on her schoolwork.
"I actually decided to do it more often recently last year, I was an RA at the time I didn't have time to work another job based on my schedule," she said, adding that she was in the middle of braiding someone's hair.
King's appointment had words of praise for her work.
"It's helping me out a lot, and she's got more patience than the shop, its real affordable and she does nice braids," said Katherine Scott, a physical therapy student at Erie Community College.
While most settle for more conventional jobs, other students choose to turn their hobbies into skills and a means of gaining revenue while keeping the minimal funding of their peers in mind.
And some say their efforts are noticed and appreciated.
"I have a friend who's selling textbooks online so those who have books that the bookstore will not take back has a way to get rid of them," said Sean Reilley, a chemistry major. " I think student businesses benefit both parties, they help those who run them to make a profit and the students providing the service or goods knows to make it affordable for their peers."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
