Amongst all of my semester’s academic obligations, I have also had the privilege to intern at Austin Technology Incubator (ATI). In case you have never heard of ATI, they are a part of the University of Texas IC2 research unit and are a true reflection of the entrepreneurial spirit of UT and the city of Austin. ATI works with early stage start-up companies and assists them in their business planning and fundraising strategies in order to increase start-up companies’ chances for success.
Since ATI is part of the university, they are always on the lookout for talented interns to assist in their business strategy. I am currently assisting the organization in grant research and writing, which is a perfect intersection of my interests of business development and social enterprise. In the past five months of my internship, I have already learned so much about the real world challenges of start-up companies and the tactics necessary for successful grant writing. Most importantly, I have had the opportunity to meet some extraordinary leaders and entrepreneurs in the community. Needless to say, despite the economy, innovation continues to thrive in Austin, TX.
First semester, while an incredible experience, was probably the most ridiculous four months of my life in terms of time and work commitments. The saving grace throughout the whole time was the common theme expressed from second years that after the first semester, it’s all downhill from there in terms of how much work is required of you. Wrong.
I’m not exactly sure where this semester went. It feels like yesterday I was driving south on I-35 with the UT tower, the Texas State Capitol, the Frost Bank Tower and the rest of Austin on the horizon. And now, one entire semester in (and sadly nearly one fourth of the way through my MBA), I’m shocked at how much I’ve learned in such a short period of time (AND absolutely terrified to be tested on it with exams)!