Startup Spotlights

The best way to innovate is to do it. Meet Courtney Jiggetts ’20.

Female student in a cap smiling at camera

Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin Group conglomerate, dropped out of high school at the age of 16. His first venture was a student publication which eventually expanded into a constellation of businesses that now carry the Virgin brand. There are so many ventures under that brand that he shared with NPR’s Guy Raz that he has lost count of how many businesses make up his portfolio as a serial entrepreneur.  Courtney Jiggetts ’20 regards Branson as a life-long idol and aims to replicate his laser focus on innovation.  She already has a head start, having recently been named as a 2019 Forbes Under 30 Scholar.

Jiggetts is an environmental and interior design student in the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Syracuse University where she is immersed in a transdisciplinary educational setting that challenges students to rethink the built environment.  She is concurrently pursuing a minor in real estate in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management and another minor in psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences respectively. 

She is also an entrepreneur who is currently working on a revolutionary idea called Inkdustrial. In order to understand Inkdustrial, it is first important to understand the space of Interior design. “Right now as an interior design student, we navigate a bunch of different software programs to get one task  done,” she says.  “It is a very multi-layered and multi-tiered process.” Design students have to frequently jump between multiple sketching, design, modeling, visualization, editing, rendering and animation software – along with project management platforms — just to finish one project.  Designs use dozens of platforms to achieve the complex details that go into environmental and interior design.

As Jiggetts explains, Autodesk, which is an umbrella company that software like AutoCAD and Revit falls under, has built a design empire.  Autodesk produces and sells the industry standard programs like AutoCAD, Procore and Revit. And then there is the entire Adobe family of design products, along with dozens of others.  However, Jiggetts has increasingly observed that the lack of compatibility between these programs makes it incredibly inefficient for a designer to efficiently complete a project.

That’s why she is working on a solution, Inkdustrial.

Inkdustrial is the concept for a product that integrates the entire process of an interior design for a project into one seamless program. Additionally, Jiggetts’ Inkdustrial platform envisions a holographic program that facilitates designers and clients alike to review finished works.

“We are working on an integration that can be used in many more stages of the design phase,” says Jiggetts. 

According to freshhome.com, an interior design information page, an interior designer is largely responsible for space planning and analyzing how current spaces are being used and how best they can be used, not only to maximize utility but also to focus on human behavior and interaction between self and space. For an individual responsible for such a complicated task, the last thing they need are programs that do not sync together in the and make the process longer than necessary. Inkdustrial aims to change that and introduce an element of simplicity and flow that would result in quicker render times and ease of use.

One of the more revolutionary and exciting aspects of the project, is the Holographic component of the platform.  More than simply introducing simplicity to the process, Jiggetts aims to introduce a new medium for clients and designers to interact with their own designs. Jiggetts aims to develop a mobile hardware artifact that would have the capability to map out a given room and project interior design concepts into the room. Think Aldridge Killian in Iron Man 3 but developed to emphasize interior designs.

Before starting Inkdustrial, Jiggetts also served as the Co-Founder of the Syracuse University chapter of the Best Buddies International. In this role, Jiggetts helped students with intellectual development disabilities gain leadership skills and employment opportunities.

Jiggetts grew up in Maryland and as a woman of color she understood very early on the importance of challenging traditional limits.  She stresses the importance of finding entry into new spaces and alludes to her experience as a Forbes Under 30 Scholar where she learned the significance of being a black woman in a new industry.

Jiggetts also cites the Blackstone LaunchPad, powered by TechStars at SU Libraries as a major resource. She notes the critical role that the LaunchPad has played in helping her develop Inkdustrial and the bonds she has made over the years. She is also thankful for being able to learn from individuals like Kelsey Davis and Matt Schumer, both of whom are Rubin Family Innovation Mentors at the LaunchPad and have been very helpful to her as she develops Inkdustrial.

“Becoming an entrepreneur is all about growing your network,” she says.

And, as Richard Branson says, ““The best way of learning about anything is by doing.”  That’s the hallmark of a true entrepreneur.

Story by Blackstone LaunchPad Global Media Fellow Krishna Pamidi ’21

“If you truly want to make an impact in the world, try to find a solution to climate change,” Calvin Atieku ’23

Student in a LaunchPad shirt

According to theguardian.com, citing a recent NOAA study about water levels and climate change, Florida is set to be completely underwater by the year 2070. This is apparently due to rising water levels as well as the overarching impact of climate change. This means that in 50 short years, the beloved Florida Walt Disney World Resort could be submerged under water. This also means that the approximately 21 million inhabitants of the state could be left homeless if their homes could be submerged under water. It is likely many people paid no heed to this report.  However, Calvin Atieku ’23 is concerned about the gravity of rising water levels, climate change, and the destruction this has already created in communities impacted by flooding. And he has set out to do something ambitious and visionary about it.

A freshman studying mechanical engineering at the Syracuse University College of Engineering & Computer Sciences, Calvin is the founder of DNA Development. His vision is to expand the livability of coastal cities of the world via floating homes.  “The idea is that, as flooding impacts entire cities, these coastal houses could rise, not be impacted by flooding,” he notes. Atieku explains that the solution has been explored and by other countries, pointing to the Ijburg Neighborhood in Amsterdam, Netherlands, where an entire neighborhood has been established on the water. Atieku’s DNA aims to replicate this model, but on American waterways, coastal regions, and other areas prone to flooding.

“It is predicted that the world’s population will increase from 7.5 billion to 9.8 billion by 2050 and space is going to be a problem.  Why don’t we think about expanding space over water, since the oceans make up 70% of the planet?”

He presents this as an alternative to other issues, such as building in areas prone to forest fires, which are also becoming a big issue.  Atieku’s vision is to expand coastal cities and equip them with solar energy solutions, decreasing reliance on the grid, and having a hugely positive impact on climate change.

Although Atieku is in the conceptual phase of the idea, he is making strong headway. “In order to be successful, it is important to first get the idea out there.” As he pursues his engineering degree, he is exploring the idea with guidance of professors across various disciplines.

Atieku is actively engaged in the pursuit of innovation.  He is also the current Freshman Representative for the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and Vice President of Professional Events in the Marketing Club. “To be honest, there are not a lot of Black Engineers, and NSBE is trying to support our engineers through graduation.” As a freshman representative, Atieku is integral to planning events that expose the minority groups within the engineering community to other like-minded professionals in the Industry. The organization aims to facilitate relationships between minority students and connections which can eventually lead to opportunities and guidance for the students later on. “We reach out to every freshman and sophomore or student of color, and we bring professors across the school of engineering to one big meeting for lunch so that they can get to know each other and build connections.”

When speaking about NSBE, Atieku mentions how the organization and his role has forced him to get out into the open and meet different people. He talks about how despite being “just a freshman” he has the opportunity to build connections and meet new people.

Atieku spent a part of his childhood in the Capital City of Accra in Ghana, where he was born. Having grown up in a suburban community, he discovered he did not like an isolated quiet lifestyle of suburban or rural environments.  “Even though I lived comfortably, I craved being around people and making new friends.” Atieku describes how it can be difficult to meet new people in suburban settings where people don’t often come out of their houses. 

This changed when he moved to America in 2010. He moved to Brooklyn, NY which was far more urban than Ghana. “I was happy because my friends weren’t that far away, and everybody was connected.” He recollects how, during one instance, the community of his neighborhood actually came together and helped his mother fend off a man who had been harassing her on her way home from work. Atieku describes how this sentiment of community empowered him to run track in high school and how it allows him today to pursue his vision, despite challenges.

As a recent 2020 TEDx Syracuse University speaker, he talked about how he dealt with challenges pertaining to self-confidence. “Sometimes I say, ‘Am I really good enough to start a company?’” However, his secret to powering through self-doubts lies in hard work and passion. He shares how plugging away at a problem that you are passionate about eliminates those doubts and gives you confidence.

Atieku hopes to one day walk out of Syracuse University by creating a legacy of his own in the College of Engineering. He feels fortunate to attend Syracuse University and hopes to pave the way for future Calvin Atieku’s who wish to attend SU and change the world.

Atieku hopes to replicate the successes of the projects that were spearheaded by entrepreneurs in the Blackstone LaunchPad powered by TechStars at Syracuse University. “I look up to people like Kelsey Davis and Russell Fearon.”  Davis is founder of CLLCTVE and Fearon is founder of SugEx.

He also credits the LaunchPad with helping him stay the course with DNA. “To be honest, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the LaunchPad. When I first came up with the idea, I was going to drop it, but the LaunchPad team told me that a true entrepreneur takes a long journey, and often fails over and starts over, to get the one big idea out there.”

Enabled by the LaunchPad’s support, he applied to be a speaker at TEDx and continued to pursue his big idea.  With coaching by the LaunchPad, he also applied to the Hult Prize, the student “Nobel Prize for social entrepreneurship,” and will be representing Syracuse University at the upcoming global regionals in Washington DC, with the support of the LaunchPad.  That is a significant accomplish for a freshman, who is thinking big about some very wicked problems in the world.

Story by Blackstone Global Fellow Krishna Pamidi ‘21

Behind the scenes of SU Globalists with Jane Lee: More than just a magazine

student standing in front of brick campus building

On its website, the team behind SU Globalists describes a globalist as someone who is proud of his/her/their cultural and social identities, and unafraid to start difficult conversations to bridge differences and find commonalities. The award-winning publication’s president Jane Lee gives this new meaning. “When SU Globalists was first started, it was an organization that catered toward the underrepresented international student community on campus,” notes Lee.  Among other publications and magazines on campus, Lee had noticed that there were limited options for voices of the international student body of Syracuse University. When she came across a Facebook post about Globalists shared by a former colleague, Lee was immediately drawn to the idea. Her engagement eventually led to her role as president this year.

“Back then, we were five people in a room in the lobby of a building, planning week-by-week story ideas and scheduling social media posts for outreach,” Lee said, reminiscing. She assumed the role of communications director her sophomore year, where she learned to use the public relations tools from classes, and apply them to grow Globalists. “Despite that we were a small group, everyone was dedicated to the overall mission — to serve as a platform for the underrepresented.

One of the biggest reasons how that idea is strong today, some four semesters later, is the methodical process that goes on behind the scenes. Embedded within the organization is an extensive editing structure where editors work 1:1 with writers to best represent a story.

n fall of 2019, Globalists opened their doors as a contributor-based publication, increasing the variety of storytelling mediums from narratives to poetry, playlists and video contributions. Each post is published under one of four categories: Narratives, Perspectives, Culture and From Abroad. These banners that SU Globalists uses is reflective of the overarching themes that the publication leaves a lasting mark in.

Globalists is also unique in the diverse representation of colleges and majors in both their e-board and general members. The visuals department is led by both Amy Nakamura, a junior magazine student, and Sujean Gahng, a sophomore animation student. This integration makes it an attractive place for students to share their strengths to better the organization as a whole.

More than the macro-environment, SU Globalists also celebrates its members. In Lee’s foreword for the fall 2019 issue for the magazine, she notes, “Globalists are wide-eyed, hopeful and courageous.” She goes on to further mention the contributions of every member of the organizations to recognize them for their zeal that makes Globalists what it is. This is very much in line with what Lee believes is what makes the organization what it is. The founding idea of “Globalists is a safe space where anyone can come and share their stories” allows the members to push themselves through passion and find success and recognition through their work.

The magazine was the recipient of the Spring 2019 Award for Outstanding Media and Publication at the 44 Stars of Excellence award ceremony hosted by Syracuse University, for its unique and effective approach to diversity and storytelling.

To revisit the point of why Lee fits the definition of a Globalists, it is crucial to understand her upbringing. Lee, who was born in Los Angeles and moved to South Korea at the age of 7, was always exposed to the idea of a multi-cultural identity since then. She describes her high school setting in South Korea as a place where she was friends with students who shared her place in society, with two or more cultural identities. It was during high school where she cultivated a true sense of curiosity and took part in various extra-curricular affairs. She is particularly proud of her predominant contributions to the high school yearbook.

Lee moved back to the states in Fall 2016 to pursue higher education. She is currently majoring in Public Relations at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and pursuing minors in Information Technology at the School of Informational Studies and Sociology at the College of Arts and Sciences.

Even after a drastic change in scenery, Lee maintained her curiosity and let it motivate her. In fact, it was this curiosity and drive that led her to find SU Globalists. Lee had been introduced to the organization via the Blackstone LaunchPad powered by TechStars, where she was a contributing member of another initiative at the institution. It was a former member of that initiative who introduced her to SU Globalists. She has found it to be a place to find and implement a vision: “To be a place where you could do what you wanted to do because it was valued, and everybody was heard.”

When asked about her vision for the organization, she says that she wants the organization to maintain the same set of ideals and drive that it has today, no matter how big it grows.

This is because ultimately, Lee believes that, “We are more than just a magazine.”  

Story by LaunchPad Global Media Fellow Krishna Pamidi

Photo supplied by SU Globalists and used with permission

Zain Elwakil ’21, on how triumph and transformation come from struggle

student standing against mountains
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Zain Elwakil ’21, is an architect, a designer, a storyteller and an entrepreneur. The 22-year old Syracuse architecture student grew up in New York City. He was raised in an Arab household by his two parents, his mother, who was a creative designer, and his father, an architect. Growing up, he remembers, “I always had a creative environment at home. My dad would always be painting, and my mom would be making something. “While he sees his love for architecture and design as independent callings, he acknowledges the tremendous influence his early years played in solidifying these passions.

While growing up a New Yorker, Zain’s parents always encouraged him to stay true to his heritage. The family visited their home in Egypt each summer, and in fact, Elwakilspent his entire high school years overseas, attending an international school in Qatar. Attending this new school sparked a profound transition in his life, “When I moved to Qatar, it was the first time I was in an Arab country. It was the first time I could speak Arabic with my friends, and everyone who was there was like me.”

The experience was invaluable, and its value extended far beyond the classroom. Reflecting on his experience, he remembers, “It was nice to connect the dots and finally have that other part of my culture. It completed the rest of my identity in a way.”

Graduating from high school, a bit more mature and much surer of himself, Zain prepared himself to go back to the United States to attend college at Syracuse University.

“Architects have a huge responsibility to the way we experience the world,” he said when explaining why he chose to pursue an architecture major. His decision was fueled by his interest for the subject, however, his first year of college did not come without its fair share of struggles, “That first semester was the hardest year in my life. I’d never been academically challenged that much.”

There’s a famous quote by Wilma Rudolph which reads, “The triumph cannot be had without the struggle.” While Zain would not describe his early experiences pleasantly, he understands how transformative this stage of his life was, saying, “While that semester was terrible, it was the first time I saw myself enjoying working hard.”                       

Fighting through self-doubt, fatigue and yet another transition, Zain came out on the other side with a clear vision. While continuing to work hard in his studies, developing skills in design and architecture, Elwakildecided to challenge himself in a new way, founding a new movement called the Zuluecho Initiative.

With the Zuluecho Initiative, he wanted to create a platform for ambitious, creative discussion and empowering self-belief.

“Wherever your passion lies, whoever you want to be, whatever you want to do, believe in it and go get it.” This is the mission statement of the initiative, says Zain. It is a platform for him to empower and inspire young people to pursue great things in life. Featuring pieces written by Elwakilhimself, articles on the site touch on critical aspects of creativity, entrepreneurship and self-becoming.

So far, his blog has made an impact, with dozens of articles, growing engagement, and high-quality merchandise. More meaningful than the metrics are the positive reviews he has received from readers.

 “I remember last semester, when I was in Florence, I was having a rough time. I wasn’t enjoying what I was doing anymore, and it wasn’t really healthy for me.” Pushing himself through this difficult time, he remembers, “What really got me is, one day, someone sent me one of my own articles”.

This was a big wakeup call. The experience pushed him to understand that, “Helping people shouldn’t come at the expense of helping myself.” He now understood the importance of seeing the big picture.

For Zain, this big picture involves combining his passions for architecture, design, creativity and storytelling to empower and inspire those around him. The Zuluecho Initiative has created a strong community of young people. He wants to continue using his talents and skills to empower people’s passions and influence broader conversations around society.

 “I don’t want people to remember me for who I am, I want them to remember how I made them feel,” he responds when asked about his legacy. He pursues this legacy by looking for understanding, finding his purpose and staying authentic.

He is multi-talented and his abilities have brought him the admiration of people across the globe, and finds satisfaction in positively affecting others. His goal is not to receive notoriety, fame or tremendous wealth, but rather to lead his followers to, “Believe in the power of their dreams.”

“Architecture is this beautiful connection between art and the real world,” he told me, reflecting on his passion. “The transformation from the imagination to the physical has always been inspiring to me.”

Story by LaunchPad Global Media Fellow Jalen Nash ’20

Photo supplied

Andrew Benbenek shares his passion for forging new paths

Student in a SU jacket smiling

The number of opportunities available to students at Syracuse University are so numerous one can’t possibly come close to taking advantage of them all. With an overwhelming array of faculty, advising centers, classes, degree programs, student clubs and organizations, and events, students have the ability to explore their passions and grow in their knowledge and career capability. What if these opportunities were not available to everyone? If we were the first of our group to have access to college education and the opportunities at this university, would we be bold enough to seize those opportunities and chase what we love? Driven by determination, Andrew Benbenek is a student shaped by his passion for forging new paths into the unknown.  A junior studying broadcast journalism, Andrew is an InclusiveU student. InclusiveU is an initiative of Syracuse University’s Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education that provides college education to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Though Syracuse has a long history of including students with disabilities on campus, InclusiveU which gives students the ability to earn a college certificate and be involved on campus was only started in 2014. This means the students in InclusiveU are continually making new steps and pushing boundaries of what it means to be a college student with a disability, and Andrew is the perfect example of that. He’s the first InclusiveU student to be enrolled in a Newhouse program, and he’s the first student in his major of broadcast journalism.

Benbenek doesn’t let the idea of being first in his field daunt him, saying  “As a leader in InclusiveU, it’s to show younger students that ‘yes,’ some of the paths to majors are tougher than others but if you have that right set of mind and that right determination you have an opportunity here to do what you want and I feel like that is a big change in the disability field as a whole.“ He believes that students in InclusiveU should not be defined by their disability, but should simply be viewed as regular students who have equal opportunity to pursue their goals and be explore their interests.

Benbenek certainly doesn’t let anything hold him back, as demonstrated by his enthusiastic engagement with his passions on campus. Interested in radio and film, he works in the radio station Z89 where he helps produce their show “The Juice,” and also works in production for CitrusTV. Last summer, he photographed for the university’s high school summer programs, where high school students study on campus to have a taste of the college experience.  He just applied to be a Remembrance Scholar, something he hopes to win because of the inspiring friends in his own life who have been awarded this scholarship.

Volunteering and giving back to a community has helped him is another essential part of Benbenek’s student experience. He volunteers with Camp Kesem, an organization which hosts camps for kids whose families have cancer.  A member of Ottothon, he works in the hospital and family relations committee which raises funds for Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital. “Doing stuff with the hospital is [because] they did and are still doing so much to help me be successful that I want to help them show the kids at the hospital now that when this stuff happens to you, your life isn’t over. There’s other opportunities out there.”

Benbenek has also worked with LaunchPad on a collaborative short film between LaunchPad, InclusiveU, and VPA film students.  They created a film “Third Shift” that Benbenek assisted in the film and production with. It’s opportunities such as these that he’s passionate about delving into and loves the inclusive spirit of organizations such as LaunchPad across campus.

In speaking of his determination to try what’s new and participate in all the campus has to offer, Benbenek says, “I don’t know what draws me to doing what hasn’t been done before or what’s tough to do. It’s not what I can’t do, it’s what I can do to push as much as I can, that’s always been a big part of it. “ Benbenek’s commitment to try what hasn’t been done before and to push himself to accomplish what feels difficult serves as inspiration to students across campus that whatever barriers life holds; there’s a myriad of opportunities to discover and dive into, and there’s no end to what can be achieved through passion and dedication.

Story by LaunchPad Global Media Fellow Claire Howard

Photo by SU Globalists, used by permission

Meiyi Liu, Exploring Rural Education in China

Picture of a student

Meiyi (Victoria) Liu is an energetic freshman international student in the College of Arts and Sciences at Syracuse University. But what many of her peers may not know is that she has an incredible passion for education and runs a company changing the lives of rural Chinese children one summer at a time. Braden Croy, program manager of the Blackstone LaunchPad at Syracuse University, sat down with Victoria to discuss the business, its mission, and where she sees the company headed over the new few years.

Braden also explores how other students can get involved with the program and the open volunteer position Bridge has for a summer intern.

Can you tell us a little about Bridge and what the business does?

Bridge is a volunteer program that teaches elementary subjects to rural Chinese children each summer in Hangzhou. These children are different from children in cities or other families we have heard about, we call them “little migratory birds” because once summer time arrives, they “migrate” to the cities where their parents are working and stay with them for the whole vacation. The wide economic gap in China causes many people from rural areas to seek jobs and opportunities in large cities. Unfortunately these dedicated parents are unable to bring their children and must leave them at home.

How have you seen these kids’ lives change because of Bridge?

We’ve worked with about 100 kids total between the summer of 2017 and 2018. I’ve seen these kids’ lives change in incredible ways. For example, to help a group of students who were having tremendous difficulty learning the A,B,Cs, I developed a fun game with little tips like memorizing the English pronunciation with funny Chinese words that pronounce it similarly. The kids instantly shouted, I get it!” and from that point forward this group of students started picking up whole words and you could feel the new confidence they had in their abilities. I saw the purest heart from those children, and I also saw their strong curiosity towards the outside world, truly inspiring.

Bridge seems to have an incredible mission, how did you get involved and why?

To trace back to the root of how I got involved with Bridge, I learned from my partner, who was also my best friend in high school, that she was starting a program teaching elementary subjects to Chinese rural children in the summer of 2017. Education is a career that she intended to pursue and something I am extremely passionate about, so we took the resources and opportunity provided by Hangzhou’s local government to launch the first program in the summer of 2017. From that summer onwards, I became obsessed with helping to bridge the many diverse versions of the world and thus came up with the idea of connecting students from the U.S. with the little migratory birds.

What does it mean to you to be an entrepreneur while studying abroad?

Although my intended career and biggest interest is as a filmmaker rather than teacher, I am willing to devote most of my time to this program because of the children. However, the hardest challenge being an international entrepreneur is communication across a 12 hour time difference; I’m working with partners both here at SU and in Hangzhou. The opportunities that I’ve had at SU though have made things so much easier, whether it’s working with the Blackstone LaunchPad or marketing our program through Handshake and the many campus programs in the School of Ed. One of the keys to our success has been talking with everyone and trying to use as many of the campus resources as possible.

Where do you see Bridge going this summer and who are you looking to join the company?

This year our main focus has been to connect with Syracuse students. As we move to an international volunteer model, we want to include students from around the country in our summer programs. Our summer 2019 applications are open through May 10th so we’re still looking for motivated volunteers to join us. From my experience the goal of volunteering is really to plant a seed in these kids’ little minds— anything that they find fascinating within these two weeks may end up changing their entire lives. What we do isn’t about leading them to a “right” direction; instead, we are leading them to their own direction.

Where can people find more information about you and Bridge?

People can find us around campus via our flyers or stop me in the hallways anytime. Or if people would like to read more, they can check us out online at https://bridge-program-in-china.squarespace.com.

Dorothy Deng on the importance of looking at the smaller picture

Dorothy Deng

Dorothy Deng is a multifarious junior pursuing a triple major in entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises, finance and accounting and a minor in Chinese, in the Whitman School of Management and College of Arts and Sciences.  She has always exuded the true entrepreneurial spirit, as the idea of having control over her own life resonates with her. Not only has she started multiple businesses, but also always has an eye open for new opportunities to capitalize on.

Growing up, Dorothy moved around quite a few times, from China to Hawaii, to finally settling down in Los Angeles, giving her a taste of a lot of different cultures, which only added to her entrepreneurial outlook. Dorothy owes a big part of her entrepreneurial drive to her parents, who are entrepreneurs, and have always enthusiastically supported each one of her ventures. Reminiscing on some of her childhood stories, she mentioned starting businesses at a young age, where she traded cards in her school for 10x the price.  While her school made her give the money back to the kids, this only sparked her entrepreneurial wild fire.

“I loved money,” she said, when asked what was the driving force behind her starting various ventures. “I want to be my own boss, I don’t like to be constrained.” Her parents helped with some initial capital she needed in order to get her off the ground, thereby letting Dorothy explore various industries and ideas.

This started the process of idea generation that spiraled in her head, where she thought about everyday issues and brainstormed impactful solutions for them. She initially started a drop shopping business that pivoted around providing dorm supplies to incoming freshmen.

Deng recently started a fashionable rave glasses business called- VSpecs. She was sitting at lunch one day, when her mind wandered, and she changed dimensions through scenario generation — leading to the idea for VSpecs. She started doing her research right there, tapping into the market of “wants,” where her customers “wouldn’t want it unless they see it.” This venture helped her hone hard skills like creative marketing and Photoshop, and forced her to practice “marketing on a budget.”  The reaction to her idea from her friends and family was overwhelming as they all saw her passion and supported her. “It makes me emotional seeing my products being used.” She currently sells her products on her website and Etsy.

“If you don’t enjoy what you are doing it’s never going to work.”

When asked to describe herself, Deng said, “Attention to detail and making a good personal assistant” are probably her power suits. When struck with an idea for a venture, “I will not sleep that night just from doing research.  It’s like a caffeine high but not really.” She talked about the importance of getting hold of the “smaller picture” before directly jumping to the “big picture.” She believes it is of utmost importance to tackle and master the small battles before you decide to fight a war.

Dorothy is also the current co-president of the Entrepreneurship Club on campus, where she spearheads speaker outreach and various other logistical matters. She credits the club for being one of the main reasons she ventured out to try delving into more industries. She hopes to build a diverse set of skills in order to capitalize on future opportunities. “I was inspired to do more with my life, if they could do it, I can do it.”

Her concluding advice is about the vitality of never giving up. Having failed a couple times herself, Dorothy realized the importance of market research and “knowing when to stop.” Keeping these perspectives in mind have immensely helped her navigate through life. “Having a positive outlook and patience is key, it takes a lot more time than you expect.”

Story by Blackstone LaunchPad Global Media Fellow Nikita Kuckian ’20, president of the Syracuse E-Club

Photo by Blackstone LaunchPad Global Media Fellow Emily Pearson ’21

Ivy Christensen, the modern Renaissance woman

Ivy Christensen

Ivy Christensen 19’, a mechanical engineering student in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, is ready for graduation this May. The senior from Thompson, Pennsylvania is excited for what the future holds ahead and is more than ready to get there.  Part of this excitement stems from where Christensen will be interning this summer: Sierra Nevada Corporation, a company which prides itself in solving some of the world’s greatest challenges through advanced engineering technologies. And the big challenges she’ll be solving, include working on Dream Chaser, a multi-mission space vehicle which will transport space crew and cargo into low-Earth destinations such as the International Space Station.  “To be working on a vehicle that will be docking at the ISS, that is crucial, that is for NASA, that is going to space—it’s crazy,” she says.

Christensen is part of the Brooke Owens Fellowship class of 2019, where 38 exceptional women interested in the aerospace industry where chosen to carry on and commemorate the considerable contributions to the American space industry of the late Brooke Owens. This competitive fellowship pairs each Brookie with an innovative aerospace company and executive level mentorship, to which Ivy comments, “Seeing how talented and involved the women in the 2019 class are is mind blowing for me. Being a part of this group and this program makes me feel so grateful for everything that has led me up to this point.”

Success has been long overdue for Christensen. The senior confides that the road to success wasn’t an easy one due to obstacles and adversities along the way. “I come from this small town in Pennsylvania where I never felt like I fit in. A lot of people in my town have never traveled outside of this country, have never had a passport, or have even visited a big city like New York City. I was lucky to have a mom who had a worldly outlook which exposed me to different cultures, food, and music.” She explains to me how her mother influenced her to be curious about the world which in turn has given rise to her own worldly outlook for life.

As to why Ivy chose mechanical engineering, she responds, “I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to do when I first arrived at Syracuse University. I had a lot of interests and I wasn’t sure what to pursue. But I did know something. I knew I wanted to help people, to impact our world in a large scale. Mechanical engineering seemed like the practical move because it’s the building block for all ideas.” She points out how important role models and teachers are when it comes to expanding children’s horizons on their career choices. Christensen works for Engineering Ambassadors, an initiative where college engineering students serve as co-learners and educators for middle school students in the Syracuse schools district where the goal is to spark STEM interest in the youth. “Students need mentors whom they feel comfortable around. When the students realize there are people that look like them, that speak like them, who are in engineering, and who are making it, they realize they have that same potential.”

Engineering is just one aspect of Ivy’s life though. This world traveler has been to more than ten countries, having studied in Italy and Ireland on two separate occasion and living in Paris over the summer where she worked as an au pair. “I think there’s a basic human trait of being curious and that includes the experiences of living in a new place. If no one traveled to meet other people, if there wasn’t this expansion of globalization, there’d be no real advancement of civilization and then that leads to the question of, ‘what’s the point of anything?’” She thinks everyone should have the experience of traveling because one can grow so much through the expansion of perspective. “When you travel to different countries, you encounter different cultures, traditions, and languages. Sometimes, you speak the language, other times you don’t. I’ve come to find that although humor and social norms don’t exactly transfer in different languages, your values do. I think it’s interesting how someone’s basic character can transcend language even if one doesn’t understand the language.”

Although Ivy is not sure what the future holds for her after her internship, she hopes to be working in an industry she’s passionate about, especially one with an impact. She envisions being in a big city, abundant with food rich in spices, people from all over the world crossing paths with her. Maybe she’ll open her own café, become a painter, make music, and learn another language she states. “I’m just striving to be the next Leonardo Da Vinci”, she says as she smiles.

Story by Blackstone LaunchPad Global Fellow Bridget McDonough

Bobby Manning on never losing touch with what you love

Bobby Manning

It’s a cold Wednesday morning when Bobby Manning, a junior in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, walks into the Blackstone LaunchPad for an interview with Jalen Nash.  They launch into a discussion of the latest news in basketball, Tobias Harris to the 76ers. “This new threat on the perimeter makes them a contender,” argues Manning.  After agreeing on this point, they transition into a conversation on politics, discussing the growing pool of Presidential candidates, then across a spectrum of topics.  The discussion turns to how journalists are redefining themselves as innovators, reflecting Manning’s own interests and entrepreneurial trajectory.  “These are my passions: sports, music, politics, history. These are just a part of me. Interacting with them through writing, podcasting and DJ’ing — that’s not a hard step for me to take.”

Interview by Blackstone LaunchPad Global Media Fellow Jalen Nash:

Jalen: Tell me about your childhood. Who were some of your early role models growing up?

Bobby: I would spend a lot of time with my grandpa and he would always tell me stories about growing up in Ireland, which is where he was from. He talked a lot about politics, government and history. Those were things he integrated in my life early on.

His son was a big sports fan, he had Red Sox season tickets and we both bonded over that.

Jalen: What were your earliest memories with sports and how did your love transition into sports writing?

Bobby: I started getting into sports when I was probably around eight years old. That was my entry way. I started getting obsessive about watching games, and stats, and videos online and everything.  I definitely watched a lot of the Red Sox back in those years, from like 2007 when they won the championship to 2011 when they like completely collapsed.

My cousin Anthony suggested writing. Freshman year of high school was when I first started blogging.

Jalen: So you started writing as a freshman. What were your expectations going into that? As soon as you put pen to paper did you think, “I love this?” Or was loving it a more gradual process? `

Bobby: It was gradual.

I never at first thought about journalism as a career. I did it for fun. What really started integrating me and introducing me to that was getting on social media. I hopped on Twitter right when I started writing, just so I could get it out there. One of the first things I noticed is that, when you’re writing about things and sharing stories, you’re able, through social media, to have a conversation and dialogue about it.

That was something that really appealed to me. You could get feedback on your work through there. You can get advice.

Jalen: That feedback is really important, especially starting so young. So what is some of the best advice you’ve received?

Bobby: There were two guys: Adam Kaufman, a friend of my aunt, and Damon Amendolara. Damon used to do radio in Boston, but now he’s national. He went, they both went to Syracuse University.

I realized, Syracuse was such a great school for this. So right around that time, like freshman, sophomore year (of high-school), I started looking into Syracuse and seeing how great sports journalists came through here and broadcasters and all that. It got me really captivated with the school.

And then, Kevin O’Connor, who writes for the Ringer now. He always told me, “Make sure you have your voice in it.”

What’s going to set you apart is your voice when you’re writing, because a lot of people are doing this stuff. A lot of people are competing for these spots in the industry and all that. You know you want to adhere to all of these standards, but you also want to have a voice that people recognize. Something that makes you, you. It’s something I always try to practice and continue to try to practice this day.

Jalen: So describe your voice.

Bobby: I display a high level of passion for what I do. And I know it’s kind of cliché, but like a lot of people don’t have passion for it. I feel like I like go deep. I like enjoying interacting with people. I’m receptive to what people have to say. I have ideas and I’m always open to that back and forth. A lot of people in their writing just feed people things. I’m able to take back and process people’s reactions to things and integrate that into what I do going forward. It’s kind of like a two-way conversation rather than me just like writing in for someone and saying, “here, take this.”

Jalen: Outside of your major, you’ve been involved in many extra-curriculars. You host a CLNS radio show, you’ve reported at college and professional sports games, you’ve written for Celtics Blog (among other places), and I even heard you’re DJ’ing now! What drives you to do all of this?

Bobby: Hahaha… yeah, I got into that by listening to these apple radio shows. Q-Tip has one, Frank Ocean has one, a bunch of artists have them on there. I feel like people are like speak through these playlists. They’re able to convey something like a story without even saying anything. That’s what I want to be able to do.

So I’ve seen a lot of people mixing and transitions and all that stuff and I always wanted to do that. So now I’m a DJ over at WERW, to practice and show people what I can do.

I have to do these things. That’s just part of every single day. I get online I talk to people on Twitter. I throw my thoughts out there about the news of the day. That’s the first thing I do in the morning. I’ll start thinking about story ideas I have and I’ll think of like 10 to 15 story ideas a day. I might only go out to one, but I’m always thinking about these things.

It’s just part of me. These are my passions: sports, music, politics, history, these are just a part of me. Interacting with them as writing, podcasting and DJ’ing, that’s not a hard step for me to take.

It’s natural for me. I feel.

Jalen: So last year, I remember seeing you train, and then run in the Boston Marathon. What inspired you to do this in the first place, and what was the process like?

Bobby: My dad ended up passing away from cancer in May after my first year here.  So I needed another outlet to interact with my family and interact with his legacy. I’ve always wanted to run the Boston Marathon. I ran my whole high school career and I still run as an outlet, you know. Physical activity makes me feel better mentally. I’m able to think about things while I’m running. I could make some money for the hospital and use that as his memory. I started fundraising for that, writing a bunch of essays and I ended up raising a bunch of money. I pretty much had to run four or five days a week to train. But I kept pushing through it cause all I could think about was how great of a moment it was going to be in that finish line, having my family on the sidelines there. That would be the day for his memory. And it really was a special day.

Jalen: So tell me more about that day. Was crossing the finish line everything you imagined it would be?

Bobby: That day was insane because it was about 30-40 degrees in April. It was wicked cold and the rain was coming  down all day. The wind was hitting us head on, there was mud everywhere, it was just brutal. But even though the farthest I ran in training was 14 or 18 miles, the marathon itself is 26 and I just powered through it 10 miles, boom, 14 miles, boom. I started to feel like the fatigue after Heartbreak Hill. But all I was thinking about was how great it was going to be. I couldn’t stop. I just had to like keep pushing myself for those last few miles.

I know this is going to be a moment I looked back on the rest of my life.

So I just ran in the tiniest jog ever. When you’re on that last stretch it’s so iconic, which helped power me through it. Everybody cheering on the sidelines, I knew my family was coming up, I looked up at the clock and saw it coming up on like five hours. So I was just like, all right, let’s beat five hours. And I ran, ran, ran and crossed the finish line at four hours 59 minutes. I just pumped my fist. That moment lived up to my expectations.

It was all worth it.

Jalen: What has developing these skills and following your passions taught you?

Bobby: I think it’s shown me there are limitations to what you can focus on. You’ve got to narrow your scope instead of trying to do everything. You need to be precise, focused and direct with what you’re doing, because if you’re trying to do everything, it stresses you out. It’s too much.

Freshman year was tough for me. I was pursuing those writing things as a distraction to get me away from the stress going on. It was stressful coming here the first year or two, meeting new people, forming new bonds and being part of a different environment. I was escaping social interactions and escaping the stuff going on back home.

So that whole first year was about learning how those actions you take affect your mental, and the balance I talked about.

Diving too much into one aspect can throw you out of whack, you feel it physically and mentally. I’ve noticed that you can draw back from certain things you’re doing, even though you want to do those things. You can pull back to put that balance back.

Jalen: What, if you could say, are your three primary goals for the future?

Bobby: I have three books I want to write. That’s what I want to focus on after graduation. I want to write a J. Dilla biography because he’s one of the most influential hip-hop artists ever. There’s no definitive story on him. He passed in 2006 and, you know, people still shout him out and sample from him. The old heads say how brilliant he was and how he inspired a new wave of producers. You know, if Brad Stevens becomes one of the greatest coaches ever. I would love to write his biography.

I want to write a story about my family and growing up and dealing with the mental things I have growing up through college and some of the hardships I’ve had. And my family story. Some of the cultural things growing up in Boston and having an immigrant grandfather. Some of the issues, my mom’s side of the family faced growing up. I want to weave that into a family memoir.

Jalen: Dope, so with that said, how do you want to be remembered?

Bobby: So Mac Miller died recently and there were a lot of memorials to him. The Internet did a show where they talked about their memories of him. One thing that sticks with me is that Mac had authentic relationships with all of these artists. He worked with his friends. He had all this energy to constantly keep up relationships that were important to him and not lose touch with his love for people he worked with. That’s something I’ve thought a lot about since he died. How am I keeping up these friends that have supported me over the years? And I never want to lose touch with those who supported me originally and the friends that have stuck with me through my pursuit of writing.

I like showing my love for my work, because I think as you get caught up in a career you lose the love that originally led you to it. No matter how deep I get into this (journalism) as a career, I want to be remembered for reflecting my passion for the topics and for writing in general.

Matthew Peng Harwit is looking to accelerate

Matthew Harwit is a junior from Boulder, Colorado and an undergraduate student dueling in biology and psychology in The College of Arts and Sciences.  In high school, Matthew loved playing basketball and hoped to continue playing the sport into college but after an injury no longer was able to pursue that dream. Coming to Syracuse, a school with next level school spirit and a basketball program with tremendous support was the next best thing.  Matthew began his journey at Syracuse as pre-med, hoping to go to a good medical school after graduation. But, after working in a lab here on campus he began thinking more about working in business and playing around with ideas on how to involve himself in that world.

Matthew began working in the entrepreneurial world after working for a startup that worked on Esports betting. The company had success and even got some funding from Ycom. Like many startups with small teams, Matthew did a little bit of everything, but worked particularly as an industry expert for the team.

After breaking from the team, Matthew began exploring a few ideas for his own company. After “juggling a few ideas” and talking to some people around him, he decided to pursue a mental health app for college students. The app has two main services, an anonymous peer to peer listening service and a texting system with professional therapists who you are paired with you based on your profile.

Matthew says that since he was young he always wanted to invent something. As a kid he would try inventing things and would always be coming up with new ideas. He then learned about the LaunchPad after its executive director came into one of his classes. The LaunchPad really appealed to Matthew.  It was a place that could help connect him to others with a similar inventive mindset.  He calls it a “wonderful resource.”

Going forward, Matthew is looking for funding to continue developing his app and officially making the real product. He also hopes to apply for accelerator programs in the coming future.

Interested in what Matthew is working on? Matthew is a team member to on the business side of his idea. If interested, email Matthew at mpharwit@syr.edu.