South Carolina Business Review

New Clemson internship program for entrepreneurs

By Mike Switzer

Published November 10, 2021 at 5:30 AM EST

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Most colleges and universities try to help students connect with businesses through internships so they can get some exposure to the business community which might help them with their career decisions. But how about connecting them directly with successful entrepreneurs? A program in the Upstate was created last year to do just that. Mike Switzer interviews Chris Manley, CEO and founder of Engenius, a digital marketing agency in Greenville, S.C. that has partnered with Clemson University‘s Center for Career and Professional Development and NEXT, a Greenville entrepreneurial support organization for the NEXT and Clemson Internship Program.

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Mike Switzer

After almost 20 years, Mike Switzer retired from Wells Fargo Securities in 2001 as Senior Vice President/Investment Officer and Certified Portfolio Manager. In 1999, he and his wife, Maggie, purchased and operated for eight years the Baskin Robbins ice cream store on Forest Drive in Columbia. They grew the store from a bottom-tier operation in the Baskin Robbins franchise system to one in the top 5% nationwide within three years, tripling sales along the way. While operating the ice cream store, Mike and Maggie received patents for a portable ice cream sink and fold-down sneezeguard they invented and in 2002 started Magnolia Carts, an ice cream cart manufacturing company, which they sold in 2013.

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