2022 Byrd and Ross Medallion Award Winners Announced
Medallion awards are one of the highest honors Rowan University bestows upon students at graduation. Two such medallions are offered in entrepreneurship, one in honor of Professor Kimble Byrd and the other in honor of Dr. Linda Ross, both emeritus entrepreneurship faculty whose leadership and vision brought entrepreneurship as an academic discipline to Rowan. Professor Byrd and Dr. Ross served at Rowan University for more than 40 years, and their legacy continues to inspire students, faculty and the Rowan community.
2022 Ross Medallion Award
The Ross Medallion Award is bestowed upon a Rowan University senior who is most engaged in and supportive of Rowan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Awardees do more than just show up to events or participate in programs; they are entrepreneurial leaders who give back more to Rowan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem than they ever hope to receive. The recipient of the 2022 Ross Medallion Award is Jimmy (James) Benavente (Entrepreneurship ‘22).
Many know Jimmy as the “Sauce Boss”, a nickname coined after starting his own company Generazione, an Italian marinara sauce company that uses garden to table and small batch ideology to deliver a great tasting product. Jimmy has dedicated much of his college career to growing his business and never passed up an opportunity to learn, support RCIE programming or build connections. In fact, Jimmy has been a guest of the Entrepreneurship Advisory Council, served as President to Rowan’s Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) Club during his junior year, hosted a vendor table at Rowan’s Homecoming where he sold Generazione, received 3rd place in the 2020 Rohrer New Venture Competition and, most recently, was accepted into RCIE’s 2022 StartupRU Summer Accelerator Program.
“Jimmy is one of the most passionate and hard-working student entrepreneurs I have met during my time at Rowan.” — Jessica Vattima
Jessica Vattima, Assistant Director of the Rowan Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, notes: “Jimmy is a natural leader and I’ve enjoyed watching him grow as a student and entrepreneur during the past four years.” She added, “No matter what challenges Jimmy has faced in his life or as a business owner, he has persevered and demonstrated resilience, grit and determination - all true qualities of an entrepreneur.”
2022 Byrd Medallion Award
The Byrd Medallion Award was established through the generosity of Rowan alum Greg Payton who noted:
“Professor Byrd inspired me to think bigger and work harder. He emphasized the importance of service above self, academic achievement, perseverance, and an entrepreneurial mindset.”
The recipient of the Byrd Medallion Award embodies the very traits that Professor Byrd worked tirelessly to instill in his students. The recipient of the 2022 Byrd Medallion Award is Michael Weinberg (Engineering Entrepreneurship ‘22).
“Michael is an amazing individual who has a passion for helping others and making a difference on campus.” — Dr. Cheryl Bodnar
Dr. Cheryl Bodnar, Associate Professor & Graduate Coordinator, believes that, like Professor Byrd, Michael wanted to serve the Rowan community beyond just himself. He did this by starting a clinic project which aimed to identify the pain points for applying for accommodations through Rowan’s Office of Accessibility Services, all while pursuing a degree in Engineering Entrepreneurship.
Michael said that his mission started when he saw the quote, “Make a difference. Make this world a little better because you lived in it”, by Henry Rowan in Savitz Hall on his Accepted Students day. He also stated that he was thankful for the many teachers, professors, and faculty that believed in him and helped him persevere to reach his full potential.
This year’s medallion awardees exemplify the interdisciplinary and diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem thriving across Rowan’s campuses. At every level, on every Rowan campus, Rowan’s entrepreneurial community continues to grow and thrive. For more information on Rowan’s Entrepreneurship programs please visit our website.
