Disabled Military Vets Seeking Opportunity Complete Intense Program At St. Joe's
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Disabled military veterans hoping to succeed in the business world celebrated the completion of a grueling program at Saint Joseph's University Saturday night.
A ceremony was held on campus for the nearly two dozen veterans, representing twelve states and four military branches.
One of them -- Zeb Congdon -- joined the army after college. He eventually went overseas.
Now, he just completed St. Joe's Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities -- phase two of a three part program:
"Pretty much this entire week we were in class from about 8 (am) to 8 (pm). Got to hear from over 80 entrepreneurs every single day, telling us their stories and also talking among ourselves and developing our ideas."
Those ideas were presented to a panel of judges.
"My pitch itself was on a seat belt harness that will essentially make it so that people don't need booster seats anymore," Congdon says.
An idea, he says, the judges liked. Antonio Padilla also says the judges were pleased with his project:
"I'm the creator of True Vision. It's a revolutionary product designed to show muscle engagement through muscle contraction, designed for the sports and fitness industry."
Padilla joined the marines in 2006, but within two years, "injured my knee and I was done, my career was over."
Or so he thought. His path also eventually led him to the EBV program, allowing him to connect with other veterans:
"Everyone that has the same passion that I do. It's good to connect with the same folks who've been through the same thing I've been through, have the same ambitions I have."
Both Padilla and Congdon are enrolled in other programs at St. Joe's as well.
