Meet the new LaunchPad team at a Fireside Chat
Meet the new LaunchPad team this Friday, September 18 at 3 p.m. for a Fireside Chat with our new Blackstone Global Fellows, Rubin Family Innovation Mentors, Orange Ambassadors, Todd B. Rubin Diversity and Scholars, Hunter Brooks Watson Scholar, Hult Prize Campus Ambassador and Blackstone LaunchPad Techstars Communications Manager. This is a great opportunity to meet the LaunchPad student team who are serving this academic year as mentors and subject matter experts, and helping expand outreach and engagement. The team includes Global Fellows, Rubin Family Innovation Mentors, Orange Ambassadors, Todd B. Rubin Diversity and Inclusion Scholars, a Hunter Brooks Watson Scholar and a Syracuse University Hult Prize Campus Ambassador.
Joining us for this chat will be Todd B. Rubin ‘04, Minister of Innovation and President of the Republic of Tea who generously funded 18 of these positions for the 2020 – 2021 academic year. Todd has been an active participant in LaunchPad programs. The LaunchPad hosts our summer Tea Talks and Fall Fireside Chats series in partnership with The Republic of Tea.
Rubin Family Innovation Mentors serve as peer advisors to a portfolio of student startups, coaching them on strategy and venture development. They are funded through a generous gift from the Rubin Family Foundation. 2020 – 20201 Rubin Family Innovation Mentors include:
- Emma Rothman ’21, Falk College, food studies
- Patrick Prioletti G’21 iSchool, graduate program, applied data science
- Sam Hollander ’22, Whitman, finance and Newhouse, advertising dual major
- James LePage ’23 Whitman, real estate
- Bruno Luiz G ’22, iSchool, graduate program, applied data science
LaunchPad Global Fellows are subject matter experts in various disciplines such as engineering, software and data management, industrial and interaction design and product development, graphic design, web design, UX-UI, all forms of digital media and content development, as well as marketing, sales and finance. 2020 – 2021 LaunchPad Global Fellows include:
- Claire Howard ’23, Maxwell, economics and international relations
- Emily Pearson ’21, VPA, environmental and interior design
- Patrick Linehan ‘21, Arts and Sciences, newspaper and on-line journalism and policy studies
- Sloane Sexton ’21, VPA, communications design
- Hanna Seraji G’22, iSchool, library and information science
- Chris Appello ’21, Newhouse, advertising
Orange Ambassadors, funded through a generous gift from Todd B. Rubin ’04 School of Architecture, Minister of Evolution and President of the Republic of Tea, compliment the skills sets of our Global Fellows, supporting outreach and engagement with entrepreneurial students across campus.
2020 – 2021 Orange Ambassadors include:
- Sam Hollander ’22, Whitman, finance and Newhouse, advertising dual major
- Justin Diaz ’23, College of Engineering and Computer Science, civil engineering
- Russell Fearon ’19 and ‘G22, College of Engineering and Computer Science, mechanical engineering
- Alesandra (Sasha) Temerte ’22, Arts and Sciences, economics, writing and rhetoric
- Ellen Jorgensen ‘’23, Arts and Sciences, earth sciences
- Jackson Ensley ’22, Whitman, marketing management
- Season Chowdhury ’23, College of Engineering and Computer Science, computer science
- James Rudman ’21, iSchool, information management and technology
- Krishna Pamidi ’21, Whitman, finance
- Zain Edeen Elwakil ’21, School of Architecture
Todd B. Rubin Innovation and Diversity Scholars, also funded through a generous gift from Rubin, work to broaden diversity and inclusion outreach and programming, expand participation in entrepreneurship by underrepresented groups and support the University’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
2020 – 2021 Todd R. Rubin Innovation and Diversity Scholars include:
- Tyra Ambroise Jean G ’21, Maxwell, public policy
- Gabriela Holliman-Lopez ’22, VPA, communications and rhetorical studies
The Hunter Brooks Watson Scholar is supported through a generous gift from the Hunter Watson Memorial Fund. It is Inspired by Syracuse University’s Remembrance Scholar program and was established as a way to honor the life and entrepreneurial spirit of Hunter Brooks Watson, a Syracuse University student who passed away after injuries suffered in a tragic 2016 distracted driving car accident. The Syracuse University Hunter Brooks Watson Scholar peer mentors students and builds the pipeline of innovative students who exemplify the “spirit of entrepreneurship.” The 2020 – 2021 Hunter Brooks Watson Scholar is:
- Emma Rothman ’21, Falk College, food studies
The Syracuse University Hult Prize Campus Ambassador helps organize the campus Hult Prize competition at Syracuse University. It is part of a global competition that is often referred to as the “Nobel Prize” of student impact entrepreneurship. The 2020 – 2021 Syracuse University Hult Prize Campus Ambassador is:
- Claire Howard ’23, Maxwell, economics and international relations
Blackstone LaunchPad Techstars Communications Manager helps coordinate LaunchPad communications outreach, including the production of our weekly newsletter and other target communications. The 2020 – 2021 communications manager is:
- Kelly Davis ’23, Whitman and Newhouse, marketing EEE & TRF
Rubin, a graduate of the School of Architecture made an impactful gift to Syracuse University to support innovation, diversity, and inclusion through a multi-year commitment to the Blackstone LaunchPad powered by Techstars at Syracuse University Libraries (LaunchPad). Personal gifts, along with a gift through his family’s Foundation, will support 18 student roles this coming academic year.
His gift also enabled the LaunchPad to offer students additional Global Fellows role this year by leveraging other funding to create extra positions.
Fireside Chats are a long-running LaunchPad series featuring intimate discussions with innovators, inventors and entrepreneurs who share their journey and insights along the way. Each is a dynamic, successful entrepreneur with a powerful message. They are unique opportunities to meet innovation leaders and enjoy genuine conversations from the hearts and minds of great entrepreneurs. You’ll experience inspiring, up-close stories, and engage in spirited dialogue. Each guest brings a unique global perspective.