Written by Katarina Komoroski
Grove City College may be a small institution, but our students don’t let the boundaries of campus limit their potential. Our alumni don’t just meet goals. They surpass them.
Luke Gilligan: A Man on a Mission
Luke Gilligan ‘24 is no different. He didn’t just graduate with a degree in Entrepreneurship; he left with skills, experience, and accomplishments that have helped him launch into a path of success.
Gilligan started his freshman year strong. He took an entrepreneurship class, Lean LaunchPad, where he and a few other students developed an idea for a company called Resense, an organization that focuses on creating and advertising products for those who are suffering with severe cases of memory loss, such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
“What started as a class project eventually became a real company,” Gilligan says. To help grow Resense, he entered in the Wolverine Venture Battle in 2021 alongside teammates Lydia Young ‘22 and Ethan David ‘24, walking away with a $6,000 prize. A year later, Gilligan and David participated in e-Fest 2022, earning fifth place and $10,000.
Gilligan later joined Venture Lab, run through the Center for E+I, where he had access to coaching and resources to help develop the idea of Resense further. He was exposed to a wide network of interns, faculty, and mentors who all played a key role in making his venture a success. “It was more than just a program,” Gilligan recalls. “It created an environment where building something real was encouraged and supported.”
Full Speed Ahead
Gilligan’s momentum didn’t stop after graduation. The overwhelming support he received at Grove City allowed him to hit the ground running and really invest in Resense after graduation. “I operated the business through 2025 and later transitioned it to another company,” he notes.
Today, he is the Executive Director of Butler Coffee Lab, a nonprofit beverage facility that produces tea, coffee pods, and bagged coffee while providing employment for people with disabilities.
Stemming from Butler Coffee Lab, Luke Gilligan has also been a part of launching the Keystone Talent Bridge workforce development program. He explains that this program helps “connect individuals with barriers to employment with local employers.”
He gives a lot of credit to the Center for E+I and is extremely grateful for all the opportunities he has been a part of. “The foundation of taking an idea, testing it, building it, and leading a team all started during my time at Grove City,” Gilligan says. “The Center gave me the confidence and the practical experience to move from an idea to running organizations that create real impact in the community.”
Wise Words
Gilligan gets straight to the point: “put your head down and do the work.” He had to make some tough decisions in order to balance his academics, social life, and startup, but he was determined to make it happen. He mentions that “if you truly believe in the problem you are trying to solve and the impact your work can have, the belief becomes your motivation to keep going.”
Gilligan also shares three simple ways to flesh out your project ideas:
- Rely on your mentors
- Experiment early
- Don’t let being a student hold you back
The Center for E+I can help you bring your creative ideas to fruition, no matter your major or skill level. Read more student stories and how you can write your own on our website.