Four students were given the chance to pitch an original business idea to Bob Iger ’73, president and CEO of the Walt Disney Co., Oct. 12 at the Capital Campaign gala.

The winner of the contest, senior Stacey Maya, was selected by Iger after he conferenced with Tom Torello, executive director of marketing communications for the college. Torello said Iger chose Maya primarily according to audience applause.

Maya, a theatre arts management major, proposed that Disney should offer discounted tickets to its Broadway plays for underprivileged children.

“If Disney Theatrical could start a program that makes theater affordable for any underprivileged child and their parent, it could start a trend that could last forever,” said Maya in her pitch to Iger. Maya also considered the future of her plan and its effect on theater, which she calls her first love.

“Part of the idea is that one day, when they can afford to go to the theater or opera or ballet, the interest will already be there,” she said.

Torello, who helped organize the contest, said he wanted students at the college to present something to Iger and the public that showed students’ innovation.

“We had to come up with something that would show the breadth of students’ attributes,” he said. “The 30-second pitch shows how creative our students are as thinkers, not just performers.”

About 20 students auditioned last week and four were picked to present onstage to Iger. The three runners-up were senior Mike Potter, graduate student Matthew Glazer and sophomore Brianne Lewis.

“All four students had great ideas and great poise,” Torello said. “We were expecting creativity, and that’s exactly what we got. We were expecting composed students, and that’s exactly what we got.”

Lewis pitched a new reality television show that had students competing to complete a service project that would make a difference in the world. As a business student, she said her main attraction to the contest was the chance to meet Iger.

“This was the perfect opportunity to, indirectly, get a one-on-one chance to speak with him,” she said. “I couldn’t believe there was such a great businessman, Bob Iger, standing right in front of me, shaking my hand — it was absolutely incredible.”

Potter proposed an online movie studio, where films were edited “from the bottom up” by contributors to the site, and Glazer pitched a parking-meter system that would use new technology to pay the meter automatically.

After the contest, Iger approached Maya and told her he would put her in contact with Disney Theatrical to talk seriously about her idea.

Maya, who won two V.I.P. passes to Walt Disney World, is looking forward to the prospect. She said she hopes this opens new doors for her since she is graduating in May, but for now she only has one thing on her mind.

“I’m going to Disney World,” she said.