For serial entrepreneur Geoffrey Aikens, choosing a career path is like settling for one ice cream flavor when there are countless varieties waiting to be discovered.

Aikens, a Business Administration student, knows firsthand just how many ice cream mixtures can be concocted. During the pandemic, the class of 2011 Wissahickon High School graduate teamed with a friend to create handmade “boutique ice cream” that the duo sold by the pints.

When his “passion project” melted away, Aikens, who graduates in fall 2023, is, for the time being, setting his sights on Scraptitude, his data analytics business, which focuses on the mixed martial arts sector of sports gambling.

“We’re trying to be the best in the world at something and hopefully it’s data analytics,” Aikens said of the endeavor he and a friend have been working on for four years. “We became interested in it through doing martial arts when we were younger. It’s a naturally developing thing that turned into us expanding to the internet side of it.”

Stakes in Scraptitude’s success hinge on the company grasping a foothold in the ever-expanding niche market, which he contends is “slowly becoming more mainstream.”

Aikens, who plans to attend Drexel University after graduation, has no plans to pinpoint his career – at least not yet.

“I like to dip my feet into anything that interests me,” he said.

During his time at Montco, Aikens found plenty to pique his interests, including serving as president of the business club, Phi Beta Lambda (PBL).  Aikens competed in PBL's state competition and won first place in the business sustainability and economic analysis/decision making categories, competing against students from The Wharton School, Temple Fox School of Business, Pittsburgh Katz Graduate School of Business, Penn State Smeal College of Business, Penn State York, Duquesne University, and Bloomsburg University, among others. 

As the first-place winner, he completed in the FBLA Collegiate National Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, June 22-26. On the national stage, Aikens continued to display his academic prowess, achieving a third-place finish in business sustainability and a commendable fifth-place finish in economic analysis and decision making. 

Among his College favorites, Aikens lists getting to know new people and broadening his world view.

“It’s a combination of meeting people and getting the chance to challenge myself,” Aikens said. “I enjoy expanding the knowledge on things that I thought I knew about and really change the way I think about stuff.”

Striving for inclusion

In February, he served as the student moderator for the College’s Presidential Symposium book chat with guest Lorene Cary, an author, educator, and activist. The three-day event featured discussions on diversity, a topic that Aikens was proud to support in his prestigious role.

“That was really cool to get that kind of recognition,” Aikens said. “I’ve been really trying to be an example for people and walk the talk. Be more inclusive. It’s something I’ve been focused on. I’m seeing people for how they want to be seen.”

To that end, Aikens said he hopes to be a “positive influence in the space.”

Professors who inspire

Aikens has found positive role models in the way of MCCC professors. He has met many “cool people and interesting professors” at his time at the College, which he said, “keeps me intrigued.”

He commended Dr. Damon Gray, Management Instructor,  for helping him “expand my critical thinking skills.”

MCCC Associate Professor of Economics Jill Pescatore is “big on understanding how to make people feel welcome in her class and bridge the gap of economic understanding,” Aikens said.

“I’ve seen a lot of people open up in her class,” he said. “She cares about people, which is a good thing for teachers.”

Leading by example

Aside from giving the traditional advice to other MCCC student to take notes and do homework, Aikens instead suggests that students step out of their comfort zone to realize their true potential.

“It’s not always about everything being great all the time,” he said. “There are times you have to grind through it. There’s a lot of value in that struggle and when you get to the other side, it’s fantastic.”

With that outlook, Aikens hopes to “never stop growing.”

“You may find something out about yourself that’s very good,” he said. “You may change.”

When he’s not taking courses or starting new entrepreneurial endeavors, Aikens enjoys playing video games, sports, and spending time outdoors. A self-described “experience person,” he revels in backpacking adventures, museum visits and nature scenes.

Updated: 7/26/2023