The Diller Center helps Lilian Poust and Allyson Rockwell find their “entrepreneurial mindset” at the second annual Student Creatives Advancing through Leadership & Entrepreneurship (SCALE) Conference, in Kansas City, MO.
This event offered a dynamic platform for student creatives and artists to gain essential entrepreneurial skills to transform their passion into a thriving profession. Poust and Rockwell are both minoring in graphic design, and after attending the event, they left with new knowledge, inspiration and tools to propel their creative careers forward.
Recommended by Professor Will Whiteley, Chairperson of the Art & Design Department at Shippensburg University, the SCALE Conference was specifically designed for student artists, offering practical, hands-on workshops on key entrepreneurial topics, including:
- Starting a legal creative business
- Navigating contracts, intellectual property, and work-for-hire agreements
- Financial planning, budgeting, taxes, and retirement strategies
- Building a personal brand and developing effective marketing strategies
- Setting fair and profitable prices for creative work
- The role of unions in supporting creative professionals
- Prioritizing health and wellness for long-term success in the creative industries
For Lilian Poust, attending SCALE was a defining experience in her college career:
“This experience has been one of the best in my college career, and I will always be thankful for opportunities like this. It has given me valuable knowledge and inspiration that I am excited to apply as I move forward in my career.”
Allyson Rockwell also reflected on the impact of the conference, noting both her professional and personal growth:
“Attending the SCALE Conference was an incredible learning opportunity that has helped me grow both professionally and personally. I am grateful for the experience and look forward to applying the knowledge and connections I gained in my future endeavors. Thank you for bringing this opportunity to us!”
With the success of the 2025 conference, the Diller Center will continue to support the entrepreneurial journeys of Shippensburg University students by sending two participants to the SCALE 2026 Conference, scheduled for February 27-28 at Millikin University in Decatur, IL. This event promises to further empower the next generation of student creatives from Shippensburg University and beyond.
