416 Market St., Lewisburg
From her office space overlooking bustling Market Street, Student-in-Residence Carolyn Sidoti ’19 enthusiastically tackles projects for Bucknell’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC). The SBDC provides local entrepreneurs and small businesses no-cost consulting and has aided in the success of local favorites such as Siam Restaurant & Bar and Threading Love. Sidoti conducts research, composes reports and collaborates with owners, creating plans to help ensure their success.

What She’s Doing:
Sidoti not only helps her clients advance their businesses, but provides them with tools to help them “get their feet under them” and progress independently. A mathematics and music double major, Sidoti taps into her strengths to find creative solutions that move her clients’ businesses forward. She also hones newfound skills, such as demographic analysis and market research, that she hopes to carry into her career after Bucknell.

What She Loves:
Sidoti says the SBDC office is a place of “constant collaboration,” where staff frequently exchange tips on topics ranging from web planning to marketing schemes. “My favorite part of this job is seeing how different people’s strengths complement each other in an atmosphere where everyone is urging each other to succeed,” she says.

Sidoti advises future SBDC student employees to “not lose sight of questions your clients are trying to answer. Today we have so much information available at our fingertips, especially in a great place like the SBDC.”
— Haley Mullen ’19