Inspired, encouraged, motivated: An MBA student perspective on CUEED's Urban Entrepreneurship Summit

July 6, 2011 - PRLog -- As I sat in eager anticipation of hearing Cory Booker and countless other influential people present at CUEED’s Urban Entrepreneurship Summit (I’ve seen him speak a handful of times now and each time I’m no less star struck than the last), I started to really think about what I wanted to take away from this event.  For an MBA student and a social entrepreneurship enthusiast concentrating in entrepreneurship, there was a lot to gain from this experience.

I continued to reflect on this very important question – what was I looking to take away from the Urban Entrepreneurship Summit?  The answer I came up with was pretty simple.  I was looking to be around like-minded individuals so that I could learn from them and be inspired by them.  I am in a very early stage of my life and my career so right now I am an information sponge.  I soak everything in.  I listen and I collaborate.      

The Summit turned out to be everything I expected and more.  There were so many esteemed panel speakers and audience members.  I’m always eager to hear Cory Booker speak because he inspires me.  I never miss a word when Steve Vogel (Grameen America) takes the mic because I believe in his company’s mission to end poverty through entrepreneurship.   I was thrilled to hear Paul Quintero (Accion USA) for the first time because microfinance is changing the entrepreneurship landscape in urban America.  I was motivated by all the urban entrepreneur panel speakers – Lisa Price, Marisa Blackwell, Valerie Mason Robinson – because I aspire to be just like them one day.  Where else could I get free practical advice from experienced urban entrepreneurs?
For the lucky few students that got to experience this summit, it was the opportunity of a lifetime.  I was inspired.  I was encouraged.  I was motivated.  A very special thank you is in order to CUEED, The White House, and Operation HOPE – to dt ogilvie, and Jerome Williams at CUEED, in particular, for dreaming up this event and bringing it to Rutgers for students like me to participate in.

Nicole Ricchione is a part-time MBA student concentrating in entrepreneurship. She is passionate about social entrepreneurship and using social media as a tool to reach an audience of people who want to make a difference in the world. Email her at nricchione@gmail.com.



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