Elon University senior Weston Sankey first heard about Venture for America in Fast Company magazine’s edition on the list of the 100 most creative people in business.
“They had a piece on the organization and I was intrigued upon reading it, so I decided to look for more information,” Sankey said.
Andrew Yang was No. 27 on the list as the founder of Venture for America, a non-profit organization that seeks to “drive talent to create jobs and spur enterprise in lower-cost cities, provide a path to entrepreneurship for young, talented college graduates and help place recent graduates in start-ups around the country,” according to the organization’s website.
“I’m really passionate about startups and companies that are doing innovative things,” Sankey said. “I thought that VFA provided a really neat outlet for college graduates to get involved in startups and I wanted to spread the word about this organization to Elon. I thought Elon students would be great for this organization.”
Sankey is now Elon’s campus ambassador for Venture for America.
“My main job is to spread the word,” Sankey said. “That involves partnering with faculty members, student media, student organizations and (the) Student Professional Development Center. I also host events and talk to students.”
VFA might appeal the most to students majoring in business, finance, marketing, computer science, biology, chemistry and engineering. The program might also appeal to students with web and graphic design skills, but a student from any major can apply.
“We look for students that will best fit in with our partner companies,” Sankey said.
VFA can be seen as fast-paced training course in running a business and entrepreneurship. After the graduate is matched with a company, he or she is guaranteed a job for two years.
“In those two years, you really learn the ins and outs of entrepreneurship and running a company,” Sankey said. “You’re in the trenches of a startup so the real-world experience you gain is astounding. It has the potential to catapult you into higher levels of entrepreneurship where you can create your own business or do something else innovative.”
And Elon students are taking notice and gaining interest in the organization, including several upperclassmen who are starting to think about life after graduation.
“It’s a pretty good opportunity especially coming out of college if you don’t already have a job lined up,” said junior economics major Nathan Anonick.
Sankey set up a booth at the Employer Showcase on Sept. 27 in Alumni Gym to spread the word about VFA and is also planning an event for October. If you are interested in the program or have any questions, email Sankey at wsankey@elon.edu.