Name: Billy Schrero

Hometown: Highland Park, IL

University: Tulane ‘12

Major: English

 

What led you to apply for Venture for America?

My time at Tulane exposed me to a number of interesting topics and perspectives, but it wasn’t until I enrolled in a number of eye-opening service learning courses, and a senior year fellowship working at Tulane’s Center for Engaged Learning and Teaching, that I knew I wanted to pursue a career as a social entrepreneur. VFA seemed like the ideal program to develop the knowledge needed to one day start my own company.

What were you doing when you found out you were accepted?

I was on a bus driving towards Covington, Louisiana for a day of river tubing with my friends. My excitement did not allow for as much relaxation as I had planned, but it was still an amazing day.

What are you most excited about with regard to VFA? What do you hope to accomplish?

Building a network of innovative peers who share my entrepreneurial spirit and having the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to an emerging company. I hope to help my company grow beyond the founders expectations, and to win the prize at the conclusion of the fellowship.

If you had to live one place for the rest of your life, where would you choose?

Chicago. Not only is it one of the most beautiful, innovative and accessible cities I have been to, but also it is filled with my family and oldest friends.

Best thing about Tulane: The opportunities to engage with New Orleans residents and contribute to the growth of the city… and the food, music, and festivals/parades/second-lines in NOLA.

Favorite Book: Sun Tzu’s The Art of War

Favorite childhood TV Show: Boy Meets World

Favorite meal: My mom’s lamb chops.

Role model: Michael Jordan. Could it be anyone else having grown up in Chicago in the 90’s?

Favorite holiday: Mardi Gras!

Best class you’ve ever taken: “Aristotle in New Orleans,” a persuasive writing course that focused on developing a culture of rhetoric and debate in local New Orleans Middle Schools.

Favorite movie quote: “I’ll tell you this: in any fight, it’s the guy who’s willing to die who’s gonna win that inch. And I know, if I’m gonna have any life anymore, it’s because I’m still willing to fight and die for that inch. Because that’s what living is, the six inches in front of your face. Now I can’t make you do it. You’ve got to look at the guy next to you; look into his eyes. Now I think you’re going to see a guy who will go that inch with you.” – Any Given Sunday, Tony D’Amato’s (Al Pacino) final pre-game speech

Favorite thing to do on Sunday: Watch football/play basketball.

Favorite entrepreneur: My dad

Favorite cereal: Honey Nut Cheerios and a sliced banana.

Most worn article of clothing: Lucky red and blue striped socks.

Favorite sports team: Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs (Chicago).

Best trip you’ve ever been on: Backpacking trip through Lake Superior Provincial Park – it rained half the time, we ran out of food a day early, and it could not have been more fun.

Favorite historical figure: Gandhi

Accomplishment you’re most proud of: My proudest accomplishment is being a loyal and devoted son, brother, uncle, and friend to those closest to me.

Last Friday, Venture for America wrapped up it’s final week of the first Venture for America Training Camp at Brown University in Providence. Though the fellows were sad to go, we are excited to see all the great things each of them will surely accomplish when they land in Cincinnati, Detroit, Las Vegas, New Orleans, and Providence in the coming weeks.

The last week of Training Camp included the Final Challenge, where the fellows were tasked with “creating value” for their future company, an organization in their city, or for Venture for America. Nine fellows were given the “Award for Outstanding Value Creation” for their projects: Alison Schmitt, Dan Bloom, Derek Turner, Ethan Carlson, Jude Stanion, Scott Lowe, Sean Pennino, Tim Dingman, and Todd Nelson. You can check out all the fellows’ impressive work here.

 

Once the challenge was over, we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate Venture for America’s first birthday on July 18th than with a party in Newport, RI alongside our first class of fellows. Special congratulations go to Andrew Yang, Founder, and Eileen Lee, COO, for being with VFA since day one.

And to everyone else who has given their time and support over the last year, thank you. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Training Camp ended on a high note with the closing dinner and awards ceremony at the Hope Club at Brown University. Congratulations to the five fellows who were recognized for outstanding overall performance throughout the VFA 2012 Training Camp: Barry Conrad, Jude Stanion, Mike Mayer, Scott Lowe, and Tim Dingman.

Both the fellows and staff had an unforgettable five weeks in Providence learning and getting to know one another. We wish our first class the best of luck as they move to their cities and begin working with their companies over the next few weeks!

 

Name:    Jude Stanion

Hometown: Durham, NC

University: University of North Carolina ‘12

Major: Anthropology

 

What led you to apply for Venture for America?

I get anxious when I’m bored. I’ve never been afraid of small spaces, but I describe my relationship with prolonged boredom as claustrophobia. VFA is a way to continue to learn and grow at an accelerated rate with a very low chance of claustrophobic bordom. VFA will certainly be fun, but fun isn’t the best word for it. There will be some days when the word fear will be more appropriate, but I don’t think I’ll ever be bored.

What were you doing when you found out you were accepted?

Folding clothes, probably socks.

Now that you’re a fellow, what are you most excited about with regard to VFA? What do you hope to accomplish?

I think the community of fellows will be the best aspect of VFA. I had the thought upon leaving Detroit last year, “If I could bring a handful of the right friends here, we could remake this city.” The sentiment is naive in its ambition, but I never thought that I would be handed this exact opportunity. I’m excited to make some strong bonds this summer and then head out together to get some real work done.

If you had to live one place for the rest of your life, where would you choose?

Asheville, NC

Best thing about UNC: Spring days.

Favorite Book: Usually whatever I’m reading at the time, so East of Eden.

Favorite childhood movie: Cinderella

Favorite meal: Brunch- an excuse to have champagne with breakfast.

Role model: Atticus Finch

Favorite holiday: The days leading up to Christmas.

Best class you’ve ever taken: Eats 101: a food snob’s dream.

Favorite movie quote: “Give me leave to do my utmost.” –Babette’s Feast

Favorite thing to do on Sunday: Cook and eat with friends.

Favorite entrepreneur or start-up company: Andrew Yang, Venture for America

Favorite cereal: Crunchy granola.

Most worn article of clothing: Belt

Favorite sports team: Durham Bulls

Best trip you’ve ever been on: Solo travel to Berlin, Budapest, and Kosovo in 2011.

Favorite historical figure: Theodore Roosevelt

Accomplishment you’re most proud of: I was a life sized piñata for Halloween 2009.

As Training Camp at Brown progresses, Venture for America is already beginning to look toward expanding in 2013. In Ezra Klein’s recent Washington Post Article about Venture for America, Andrew Yang mentioned some potential expansion cities for 2013, including Baltimore, Cleveland, New Haven, Pittsburgh and Raleigh-Durham.

Local organizations in both Pittsburgh and Baltimore are already showing interest in bringing Venture for America to their regions. A recent article in the Pittsburgh Business Times explains more in depth why Pittsburgh is an appealing option for VFA’s expansion next year. Pop City, another Pittsburgh news source, also recently published an article entitled “Venture for America is coming to Pittsburgh with its army of entrepreneurs”. In it, Andrew Yang cites Pittsburgh’s “robust entrepreneurial community” as a primary draw.
Last week, the Baltimore Business Journal also published an article describing Venture for America’s attraction to the area. Mike Tarullo, VFA’s Director of Corporate Development, said the city’s burgeoning tech community, the research being spun out of the Johns Hopkins University and University of Maryland, and the city’s growing number of tech-company incubators are all particularly alluring.