What are we doing for students?

Everyone asks this question. Even Sen. Jack Hart, during an interview he and I were doing for the Dorchester newspaper, asked how are you helping students get good jobs in the innovation economy?

Thanks to our Entrepreneur in Residence, Dan Phillips, we are doing a lot. Just a few weeks ago, over 80 students, with some having to be turned away, came to hear Dan talk about what it is like to work in a venture backed start-up, and to sign-up for a chance at a paid internship. Students lined up to give Dan their cards following his presentation!

Dan has spent the last 25 years as an executive with four venture capital backed software companies. The most recent was as CEO of SilverBack Technologies which was acquired by Dell Inc. Dan has a great appreciation for the quality and culture of UMass Boston students as he has self funded his own Scholarship/Mentor program for our students over the last 15 years.

Two students, Wararat Tipwimolratchai and Wei Tang, have already been selected by Brighton House Associates, a venture backed start-up company in Marlborough. Much more to come in this one year pilot effort.

Finding quality start up internship opportunities is extraordinarily difficult. Students at places like MIT and Stanford line up for jobs. But for the first time, UMass Boston students have the opportunity. They are a perfect match for start-up companies.

With the opening of the VDC in early 2009, we will be able to house the venture backed firms and internships right here on campus, in Wheatley where our 18,000 sf center is in the final stages of being constructed.

We’ve reached out to Student Affairs as well as the deans to locate interested students with marketing, finance, information systems, computer science and economics backgrounds. Dan plans to run a session for students every two months.