Hey NYU! Venture for America is coming to your campus next week:
VFA Info Session
Stern Business School, Room LC-25
12:45pm
NYU Job and Internship Fair
Kimmel Center for University Life
60 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012
11:00am-3:00pm
Come join us to learn more about Venture for America and how you can become part of the next class of fellows!
Name: Derek Turner
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
University: Columbia University 12
Community Ambassador, Ambassador
Detroit, MI
What initially attracted you to Venture for America?
I had been fascinated by Detroit for a year but I had no idea how I could get involved. I started considering doing a startup in Detroit, but didn’t have any good business ideas. As I was looking around at incubators in Detroit, I found out about VFA and it was obvious from the beginning that it was the perfect program for me. They connected all the dots trained me (an anthropology and political science major) to be literate in business, connected me to a community of peers in my city, helped me find housing, found me a really rewarding job, introduced me to a mentor, and allowed me to be a part of something very new and exciting!
What is the best part of being a VFA fellow?
The best part of being a VFA fellow is being exposed to people (fellows, board members, mentors, etc) who believe that cities that other people have written off as failures can be brought back to prosperity. Its so encouraging seeing all of these people working so hard for that idea and it allows me to have hope for the future of this country.
What does Ambassador do?
Ambassador is referral reward software that gives companies the ability to track and manage customer referrals. Since most companies who want to grow using referrals dont have the technological expertise to track their customers behaviors online in order to reward them for referring friends, they can just subscribe to our service and well do it for them.
What do you do on a typical day at work?
Right now Im doing a lot of marketing and market research, so a typical day might have me writing an e-book or whitepaper, looking at our website analytics, reviewing customer behavior and needs, and brainstorming how we can reach new potential customers of course with a ping pong game thrown in there. I love that I never do the same thing from day to day and I can help decide whats important for the company to be doing at any given point.
What’s your favorite thing about Detroit?:
The surprises. Whether its the really hip bar in an abandoned neighborhood, the ribs and karaoke place at the Saturday market, or the pool on the roof of our apartment building, Detroit will always defy expectations in a great way.
What do you hope to accomplish in your time with VFA?
I want to be at least partially responsible for significant growth at Ambassador and economic prosperity in Detroit.
Attention builders, creators, and aspiring entrepreneurs:
Venture for America may be coming to a campus near you!
Are you interested in applying to become a Venture for America fellow? Do you want to meet other students who are interested in applying? Come learn more at your school’s VFA events this fall. In the coming months, we will be visiting campuses across the country to meet potential members of the Class of 2013.
Tuesday, September 4th: New York University. Info Session, 12:45pm
Wasserman Center for Career Development
Thursday, September 6th: New York University. Career Fair, 11:00am-3:00pm
Kimmel Center for University Life, 60 Washington Square South, New York, NY
To see when VFA is hosting an event near you, check out our events page.
If we are already coming to your campus and your student organization is interested in hosting a VFA event, contact us at info@ventureforamerica.org.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been two months since over 400 Venture for America supporters gathered and celebrated a successful first year at the 2012 VFA Summer Celebration in NYC. Since then, The first class of Venture for America fellows completed their 5-week training at Brown University and have now landed in Cincinnati, Detroit, Las Vegas, New Orleans, and Providence to begin their exciting new lives and careers.
At the event, Columbia grad and VFA Fellow Derek Turner represented his class and spoke about why he was so excited to join Venture for America and contribute to the revitalization of Detroit. Though Derek is now on the ground working hard for his company, Ambassador, we wanted to take look back at his inspiring speech.
We wish Derek and all the other fellows the best of luck in their first weeks with their new companies!
NextGen Journal, a “website for the next generation,” is run by a team of college students from around the nation. Every week, the website will feature a fellow from the Venture for America Class of 2012 in its “Future Entrepreneurs” series. If you haven’t already, check out the articles below!
In week one, NextGen Journal featured Chelsea Koglmeier, a VFA fellow who recently graduated from Duke with a degree in Public Policy. Read the article to find out what Chelsea thought of the first ever VFA Training Camp and see why she’s so excited to join The Brandery in Cincinnati.
Future Entrepreneurs: Chelsea Koglmeier Joins The Brandery
Next, the series featured Brian Rudolph of Emory University, who seemed destined to become an entrepreneur since the days of selling candy from his middle school locker. In the feature, Brian discusses founding his own music website in college and why he’s looking forward to working for Detroit startup Quikkly.
Future Entrepreneurs: Brian Rudolph Joins Quikkly
Then last week, MIT grad Kathy Cheng explained that after a service trip to Calcutta, India, she realized enterprise in the U.S. is just as important as it is abroad. According to Kathy, her job at Doodle Home in Detroit is the perfect way to combine her creative side and business analytical side.
Future Entrepreneurs: Kathy Cheng Joins Doodle Home
So who’s it going to be this week? Don’t forget to keep up with NextGen Journal to find out!
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