Twice a year, the Longhorn community rallies friends, family, and the community for 40 hours to crowd fund for its favorite schools and initiatives across the University. This year, Forty Hours for the Forty Acres took place from April 12 through April 13, with 13 McCombs affiliates participating.
Thanks to the generosity of the McCombs network, the school raised more than $2.4 million, coming in second for overall giving.
Funds were raised through email appeals, as well as social media messaging. This year, student ambassadors took over McCombs’ social media channels to share their own messages in support of 40 for Forty through their “What I Love About McCombs” campaign.
Throughout the 40 hours, the online giving platform provided opportunities for matching funds, peer school competitions, and giveaway incentives, raising more than $6 million for the University through over 11,000 gifts.
The Fall 2023 40 Hours for the Forty Acres will take place September 27-28, so mark your calendars for another exciting online giving campaign. To see more 40 for Forty results, visit the website here.
Ryan Breuckner (BBA ’07 and MBA ’13) is COO of Exodus Intelligence.
Ryan Brueckner (BBA ’07 and MBA ’13), COO of Exodus Intelligence, is using all the skills he learned as a student in his current career, saying that McCombs honed his leadership and storytelling abilities. As commencement approaches, he reflects on his time as a student, a memorable conversation with Red McCombs, advice for the next generation of Longhorns, and plans for his upcoming 10-year MBA reunion.
Q: Where are you originally from?
RB: I was born and raised in Scottsdale, AZ aka “The Most Livable City.”
Q: What brought you to UT Austin?
RB: When looking for colleges my criteria was pretty simple. I wanted to go out of state, maintain a warm climate (having family from the Midwest will do that to you), go to a school with great athletics and academics (specifically a well-recognized business school), and have what I can only describe as a ‘college feel’. Texas checked all those boxes and more.
When the time came to explore MBA programs, my criteria had shifted a bit. I wanted to attend a program that had opportunity geared towards Venture Capital / Entrepreneurships, a program with well-regarded career services, job opportunities I would otherwise not have exposure to, and an incredible business school alumni base.
Q:Tell us what an impact being a McCombs grad has had on your life?
RB: Carrying the McCombs alumni designation has been absolutely incredible. I have had job opportunities and interviews with people I would have otherwise never had. Following my MBA, I was fortunate to spend nearly nine years at Deloitte Consulting, which is a huge employer of McCombs graduates.
The alumni connection at the firm instantaneously provided a support group to lean on and learn from throughout my career. Many of the clients I also served walked the halls of the McCombs School of Business, and having that simple connection worked wonders in terms of relationship building and camaraderie. I was also fortunate to lead Texas MBA recruiting for a number of years at Deloitte, allowing me to reconnect with students and faculty.
On a more personal note, McCombs does an exceptional job recruiting really well-rounded students. (They tend to be) smart with a strong work ethic, collaborative, and, do I dare say, social. This reputation naturally attracts opportunities, and I feel as though McCombs did a great job helping me build on these strengths.
Q: Share a lasting memory of your time at McCombs.
RB: During my time as an MBA student at McCombs I served as class president for the class of 2013. One of my initiatives was to launch an alumni speaker series with notable alums that have risen to great achievement and are filled with advice and wisdom that can be shared with current students.
When selecting who our first ‘fireside chat’ would be with, Red McCombs was a natural choice. For nearly two hours, I interviewed Mr. McCombs one-on-one in front of a group of students. The next day, Red called me, thanked me for inviting him to interview, and extended an offer to reach out to him at any point for anything at all. It’s not every day you get to interview and have a follow up call with the person whose name happens to be on your diploma. That has to rank at the top of my McCombs lasting memory list.
Q: Your 10-year MBA reunion is coming up. Tell us about the plans you are making to commemorate this incredible event.
RB: Yes! Our reunion will take place Sept 29 – 30. The program office has been wonderful in coordinating an alumni conference and reception on Friday, followed by a Saturday tailgate prior to the game on Saturday. People are certainly busy with life, but our class seems enthusiastic about attending and possibly hosting a small get together downtown at some point during the weekend.
Q: Commencement is right around the corner. What advice would you give the upcoming graduating class about being a McCombs alumnus?
RB: Determine what you are truly passionate about. Time is our most precious commodity, and even if you don’t find the exact answer, having a direction is better than none at all. Once you find it (or think you’ve found it), never be bashful reaching out to alumni for help.
You quickly realize that all of us, regardless of graduating class, are constantly evolving and changing the ways we think, our interests, AND our passions. You are one interaction away from finding someone who either has been in your shoes, is in your shoes, or knows someone in your shoes. Our network is vast, and I feel like I just started to truly appreciate how thoughtful our alumni group is.
Q: What are you doing now with your career?
RB: I now serve as the Chief Operating Officer at an Austin-based company called Exodus Intelligence. Exodus provides Government and Enterprise with the unique ability to understand, prepare, and defend against the ever-changing landscape of Cyber Security. By providing customers with actionable vulnerability intelligence, including deep vulnerability analysis, detection and mitigation guidance, and tooling to test defenses, Exodus customers receive leading-edge insights to harden their network and/or achieve mission success.
Exodus has been around for 11 years and is a perfect fit for me at this stage of my career. I can bring learnings from my management consultant days, my background in entrepreneurship and Venture Capital, my patriotism for the United States, and my desire to dive deep in a rapidly growing industry. After years on the road, calling Austin home is certainly a plus as well.
Q: Share your life and career ambitions and how McCombs has prepared you to achieve them.
Ryan met his wife while a student at UT.
RB: It should be noted first and foremost that my wife and I met and were classmates at McCombs. She would argue I wouldn’t be where I am today without her copious note-taking skills as an undergraduate – and she’d be correct. We have two beautiful children and currently reside in Lakeway just outside of Austin.
From a career perspective, I have tried to find myself in leadership positions to influence direction and strategy, plain and simple. In my McCombs undergraduate days, I served as Sig Ep president which actually turned out to be a great crash course in the early days of what ‘leadership’ is.
In business school, I was part of the Venture Fellow community and was placed at a VC fund in town, again, helping to influence decisions and strategy. I leveraged career services in a meaningful way, and interned at Intel and then found my way to Deloitte. I always joke with people that consultants are professional storytellers backed by information and data, and to be a good storyteller, you have to have the proper skills. McCombs gave me that.
While on campus, McCombs gave me endless opportunities to interview, intern, present, debate, and refine my story and messaging. Off campus, I have put these fundamentals into action and are constantly improving upon them each day.
On April 13, 2023, the McCombs School of Business welcomed student scholarship recipients and supporters to the First Annual Scholarship Appreciation Dinner. Aside from providing an opportunity for connection, it was also a chance to honor the late Red McCombs, whose legacy continues to inspire generosity, especially toward students.
McCombs hosted 180 guests at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center, including Dean’s Advisory Council members, current scholarship recipients, and McCombs scholarship supporters.
The event provides an opportunity for scholarship recipients and supporters to make a personal connection.
“More and more, we have heard from donors and students alike how meaningful it is to meet,” said Associate Director of Stewardship Sara Jebaily. “Student support is a key initiative for both the University and Texas McCombs, and we wanted to celebrate the people that create these amazing opportunities for our students.”
In fall 2022, 341 MBA students received McCombs fellowships and 117 MPA students received McCombs scholarships. Of 4,757 undergraduate students, 555 received a McCombs scholarship. At the graduate level, just 293 of the 490 full-time MBA students, and 117 out of 239 MPA students received McCombs fellowships.
The evening began with a video tribute to the late Red McCombs, who passed away this year. McCombs was instrumental in elevating Texas McCombs’ reputation throughout the country as a premier business school.
McCombs donated matching funds to inspire additional giving, resulting in 95 scholarship endowments to date. Much of the night was honored Red’s continuing legacy of leadership and support.
Dean Lillian Mills welcomed guests, followed by University of Texas President Jay C. Hartzell, who welcomed donors and students alike, noting that all of the scholarship sponsors in the room continue to build on Red’s foundation.
“Thank you for all you do to invest in our students,” President Hartzell said. “Red would always ask, ‘How are the students doing?’ He reminded us that that is why we are here. That’s our north star.”
Tina Mabley, Assistant Dean and Director, Full-time Texas MBA Program, shared her own memories of Red before turning the podium over to Charles Enriquez, Assistant Dean, BBA Academic Services and Student Affairs.
“Tonight, we are here to celebrate scholarships,” Tina said. “And there’s no better way to do that than to celebrate Red McCombs.”
She went on to reflect on the McCombs’ historic $50 million gift to the school that is now his namesake. At the time, it was the University’s largest gift to date.
“A true legend, Red’s legacy has lived with us at the business school since this gift,” she said.
Before introducing two guest student scholarship recipients, Charles echoed Tina’s statement.
“Students for generations to come will continue to benefit from the generosity and leadership Red left behind,” he said.
As a reflection of Red’s spirit of generosity, scholarship recipients Michael He, BBA ’23, MPA ’23, and Valeria Noguera, BBA Finance ’25, took to the stage to share how their own personal experiences have been shaped by scholarship support.
Valeria, a sophomore finance major who participates in the McCombs Success Scholars (MSS) program, talked about how her scholarship allows her to be actively involved in seven campus organizations, including being the first MSS student and only Latina in her class to join Wall Street for McCombs.
“None of that would be possible without my scholarship,” Valeria, recipient of the Hilary and Scott Hill Endowed Dean’s Scholarship, said. “I don’t have to worry about acquiring a rigorous job. Instead, I can focus on my studies and my school environment.”
Valeria will intern with Morgan Stanley New York in its investment banking division this summer, the first sophomore Longhorn to do so.
Master’s student Michael He reflected on receiving his scholarship notification just when COVID-19 impacted his family’s financial stability.
“My Dad lost his job, and my mom had to switch departments,” Michael, recipient of the Terri L. Holbrook Scholarship in Accounting, told the crowd. “The extra support I received helped us breathe a sigh of relief, and we were extremely grateful for that.”
Michael has used his time at McCombs to mentor other students through the Asian Business Student Association and intern at Deloitte, where he will be employed after graduation in May.
Regent James C. “Rad” Weaver, who was a scholarship recipient when he attended the McCombs School of Business, shared his own experiences as a student in need of extra breathing room.
“I, like so many other students, went to school on someone else’s dime,” said Regent Weaver, former CEO of McCombs Partners who was mentored by Red as a student. “My father passed away when I was a freshman in high school, so money was tight.”
During a fireside chat with Dean Mills, Regent Weaver, who worked alongside Red for 26 years, remembered fondly Red’s penchant for finding unexpired parking meters around the San Antonio area, just one way the mogul could stretch a dollar. He also recalled many of Red’s famous quotes.
“Keep the main thing the main thing,’ was one. And ‘Always be present wherever you are’ was another,” he said. “But what stuck with me was when he said, ‘Life is never standing still, it’s always moving; you are growing or shrinking every single day, so make the most of it.’”
But what both Dean Mills and Regent Weaver both recalled was Red’s devotion to inspiring students, especially the ones that flew under the radar.
“He enjoyed visiting with all the students, but he particularly would want to meet the C student who was working hard to make it happen,” said Weaver. “That’s who he would connect with the most.”
Dean Mills wrapped up the evening by reminding everyone in the room that, while scholarship needs met are something to celebrate, there is still much to be done to make McCombs a possibility for all students. She also pointed back to the purpose that lies at the heart of everything Texas McCombs does.
“It’s about the kids,” she said. “They are the ones who go out and change the world. You can be proud of your investment.”
Plans are already underway for next year’s event, which promises to expand to provide further interaction opportunities among recipients and their supporters.
McCombs hosted its 10th Annual Mentorship Dinner in February
Nothing beats a person-to-person connection, and that is never truer than in an academic setting. That is just one of the reasons McCombs prioritizes its annual Executive Mentorship Dinner. Creating opportunities for students to intersect with experts in their fields is just one way McCombs provides accessible and interactive experiences.
“We are always so excited for this event,” said Christine Burdell, Director of Alumni Relations. “We look forward to seeing how eager the students are to meet these incredible industry leaders. It’s a great opportunity for them.”
This year, the event took place on Thursday, February 16, and included one mentor paired with nine students each. They had open discussions with each group during dinner, where many students offered up questions and scenarios to their mentor.
As the event drew to a close, students and mentors alike were all smiles as they shared group photos, often exchanging information to continue the conversation.
“Our job is to provide as many value-add opportunities for students as possible,” said Christine. “And I think our mentors get just as much out of it as the students do.”
McCombs is grateful to the following executive mentors for attending this year’s event:
Abid Ansari, BBA 2003, Director of Cybersecurity, Converse
Amy Chen Davis, MBA 2010, Vice President, Lake Charles LNG, Energy Transfer
Bill Cunningham, Dean, College of Business 1983-1985; President and Chancellor, UT
John Graff, BS 1987, Interim-CMO/Lecturer, McCombs School of Business; Former Executive, National Instruments
Lamar Johnson, BBA 1970, Executive Director, Center for Customer Insight & Marketing Solutions, Professional Sales & Business Development Corporate Relations Manager, McCombs School of Business
Daniel Longoria, JD-Law 2006, Chief Executive Officer, Innovative Integrated Health, Inc.
Kelly Merryman, BBA 1998, Former Senior Executive, Netflix and YouTube
Sital Mody,BBA 1991, President, Natural Gas Pipelines, Kinder Morgan
Kelly Steckelberg,BBA and MPA 1991, CFO, Zoom
Ed Tonkon,BBA 1978, President, Zebra Retail Solutions
Ana Villegas,CMO, Affinipay
Senator Judith Zaffirini,BS 1967, MA 1970, PhD1978, Owner, Zaffirini Communications; President, Alexander Foundation, Investments, and Development
Cris Zertuche Wong,BS 1991, Managing Director and COO, US Real Estate, Goldman Sachs
Spring is a wonderful time at McCombs. It’s also a perfect season to bolster friend and family support during the 40 Hours for the Forty Acres campaign by signing up as an ambassador. With just a few simple clicks, you can be part of one of our campus’ largest fundraising opportunities just by spreading the word on your social media channels.
Forty Hours for the Forty Acres kicks off next Wednesday, April 12 at 6 a.m. and runs through Thursday, April 13, at 10 p.m. Ambassador sign-ups are in full swing, and those who secure at least three gifts using their unique referral code can win some fun promo items.
Ambassadors can win these fun promo items for a limited time!
“Ambassadors are key to helping McCombs lead during 40 for Forty,” said Wendy Anderson, Chief Development Officer for McCombs Development and External Relations. “We rely on students, faculty, and friends to continually enhance our offerings here at McCombs.”
For McCombs, the 40 for Forty campaign provides an online opportunity for the community to give to the school’s annual fund, which provides support throughout the year across all areas of the school, including faculty, facility, staff, and students. Other McCombs-specific 40 for Forty campaigns include centers, programs, departments and student orgs. Ambassadors can sign up any time, but those who meet a University-wide April 10th deadline help McCombs earn extra challenge money through the campaign. Additional early giving opportunities are available now by clicking here.
To sign up as an Ambassador, click here to get started. Be sure to select one or more of McCombs’ pages as your preferred affiliation.
Randy Swan (BBA ’90), CEO and lead portfolio manager at Swan Global Investments
Randy Swan (BBA ’90), CEO and lead portfolio manager at Swan Global Investments and co-founder of For the Future Foundation, is partnering with McCombs School of Business Wealth Management Center. The partnership is expected to inspire and develop the next generation of financial professionals and advance the wealth management industry through education, mentoring, networking, and financial support.
Swan and his wife, Laura (BA Economics, ’89), who are both University of Texas at Austin alumni, launched the For the Future Foundation to contribute to the advancement of local economic development with a particular focus on the upcoming generations of leaders through education.
“Laura and I are grateful to be in a position to give back to our alma matter and encourage development of next generation wealth management professionals,” Randy said. “We are excited to partner with the great leadership team at the Wealth Management Center and the esteemed academics and other industry leaders in this meaningful opportunity.”
For the Future Foundation has committed four years of financial support for Center initiatives to educate and empower future generations of financial professionals. Randy Swan, founder and CEO of Swan Global Investments and his wife Laura Swan launched For the Future Foundation to contribute to the advancement of local economic development with a particular focus on the upcoming generations of leaders through education. Both Randy and Laura are proud UT alumni, and Randy is a graduate from The McCombs School of Business.
“We greatly appreciate the foundation’s vision and partnership in helping to provide students with unique opportunities to help evolve the Wealth Management industry,” said Dean Lillian Mills.
Swan Global Investments will be involved broadly with the Wealth Management Center in community outreach, education programs, partner events, and Randy Swan will serve as a member of the Center advisory board.
“The wealth management Industry is undergoing major changes. A primary challenge facing the profession is the shortage of young and talented students that can enter the wealth management workforce. Yet another need is the demand for increased domain-specific knowledge,” said Dr. Ramesh Rao, founding director of McCombs Wealth Management. “We are delighted that Swan Global Investments will be joining us and other industry leaders–such as Schwab, PIMCO, DFA, Focus Financial and LPL Financial– to advance the Center’s ambitious goals of addressing these needs.”
Debbie Carney, McCombs Senior Program Coordinator for Advising and International Exchange Programs
Positioning McCombs on the world stage is something that has been on the forefront of Debbie Carney’s mind since she took up her post as Senior Program Coordinator for Advising and International Exchange Programs 12 years ago. Despite expanding the Texas MBA Program’s global business education partnership roster to include the two best London-based schools and forging new relationships with top MBA programs in Hong Kong, South Africa, Argentina, and Japan, Carney admits more still needs to be done.
“We are deploying the very best students from McCombs to experience hands-on cross-cultural opportunities,” she said. “But we are behind. We still don’t have the name recognition in the global arena that we deserve.”
The Global Student Exchange Program provides full-time MBA and Dual Degree students studying law, business, or engineering an avenue to learn alongside counterparts in other countries. But it can be costly to the students (approximately $10,000 per semester each), who are solely responsible for expenses, not to mention navigating life on their own in a new culture. Despite those challenges, however, Carney says she hears nothing but positive feedback.
“It’s hard to study abroad,” she said. “But for most of our participants, this is a life-changing transformational experience. Students say it’s the best decision they’ve ever made.”
Jhovany Duperval (MBA ’22), participated in the exchange with London
Jhovany Duperval (MBA ’22)
Business School and echoes Carney’s sentiments.
“I chose to apply for the exchange program because I wanted to extend my international experiences and immerse myself in a business practicum full of opportunities to tackle international problems,” he said. “The exposure educationally and culturally expanded my knowledge base and is an experience that I’ll carry with me wherever I go. This opportunity has been the highlight of my MBA experience and one I hope future McCombs students explore as part of their MBA journey.”
For those who think the GSE is just a travel experience, Carney refutes that, explaining that, students spend one full-time immersive semester studying business at a top-ranked global institution at their destination. In addition to the cost of travel, students are responsible for securing their own housing, insurance, class schedules, and local transportation while abroad. Currently, there is only one scholarship to support two students through the Sylff Foundation each year.
The experience provides the opportunity for McCombs to increase diversity across programs and enhance its presence around the globe, something Carney stresses as an increasing need in the current climate.
“Many times, our students are the only Americans in the room during these exchanges,” she said. “It allows them to be able to speak on the global stage, and that’s a huge benefit in today’s economy.”
Carney hopes to see the program continue to expand to include additional international experiences, scholarship support, and faculty assistance. In the future, she hopes participants will have a forum where they can return to share their experiences with other McCombs students and create an ongoing network of alumni in the program.
“We are building something for students who would never have this opportunity otherwise,” she said. “When they return, they are the best possible ambassadors for this program and McCombs.”
To learn how you can support the Global Student Exchange program, email Debbie Carney.
Alicia Rogers, (BBA ’13 and UT Dallas MBA ’22) is currently the Senior Manager, Technology Consulting at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
As the daughter of educators, Alicia Rogers (BBA ’13 and UT Dallas MBA ’22) understood that she was going to pursue a degree, and The University of Texas at Austin provided the kind of culture and opportunity she was seeking. As a Black female on campus, however, Alicia found herself having to navigate the university differently. With the right strategy and focus, she says all students can thrive at McCombs.
“I joined the Gateway Scholars program for minority freshman when I first arrived on campus,” she said. “And I still didn’t necessarily feel like I fit in right away. But I worked at it and eventually found my space.”
Alicia became deeply involved in the Black Business Student Association (BBSA) at McCombs, seeking out leadership roles, first on committees and then, eventually, as the organization’s president. Through BBSA, she met a group of like-minded peers who created a sense of community and belonging.
Alicia has maintained her connection with BBSA and continues to mentor current student members and give back to the alumni. This past fall, with distinguished guest Peggy Drake Holland, the first African American student to graduate from the UT business school, in attendance Alicia and the current president hosted the organization’s first alumni event as part of Black Homecoming Weekend.
“The event gave me so much energy, and it was so rewarding to see our alumni engaged and building new connections with each other,” she said. “That kind of connection is so important.”
Connection, Alicia says, is what is critical when attending a university the size of The University of Texas at Austin, especially as a student of color.
“Connection is what supports you when you’re up against the demands of maintaining a high GPA and the level of student organization engagement that is expected at McCombs,” she said.
“McCombs is challenging. Everyone around you is intelligent and motivated, so it’s easy to feel intimidated. But the school has so many resources to help every student succeed.”
From a diverse offering of student organizations, to mentorship programs, to career success workshops, Alicia says success really comes down to initiative and persistence.
“As a student, you have to be intentional about building a community around you and advocating for yourself,” she said. “That’s how you make UT smaller. McCombs has all the tools, and they will teach you what you need to have in your tool kit.”
Sometimes, it’s attending an event that will open doors, she says, as long as you aren’t afraid to speak up and ask questions.
“It was at a BBSA event where I met a recruiter from my current company PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). I asked if they had internship opportunities for Sophomores, and she said they did,” said Alicia, Senior Manager, Technology Consulting at PwC. “And I’ve been here for almost ten years now.”
Alicia recently took the helm as Chapter Leader for the San Antonio McCombs Alumni Chapter, where she will continue her efforts to connect and engage alumni and students.
“My goal is to foster meaningful relationships through a schedule of diverse events,“ she said. “I would like to see our chapter partner with Texas Exes more as well as other UT affiliated groups in the future to expand our reach and create more opportunities for alum to network.”
Looking back, even during that first semester when UT felt big, Alicia says she always knew McCombs was the right place for her. The university continues to provide opportunities and community to its students, and now, as an alumna, she is motivated to give her time as a mentor to students and a leader to her fellow alumni.
“As an alum, I have never felt like the door to McCombs closed,” she said. “The best thing about being a McCombs alum is the pride I feel for my school and not thinking twice about dedicating my time to pay forward a small part of the impact McCombs has made on my life.”
Dan Albaum’s (MBA ’87) latest book, The Impact Makers, highlights 82 market leaders’ tips for success.
When Dan Albaum (MBA ’87) graduated from Texas McCombs, he left with a new perspective on just what leadership in business means. He’s sharing that and other insights in his new book, The Impact Makers (Market Impact Press, 2022).
In it, he interviews 82 leaders from around the world who share their wisdom about what makes someone an effective “impact maker.” For Dan, he learned what he needed to know from his parents and McCombs.
“Growing up my parents instilled in me that helping others was paramount,” he said. “My McCombs experience took that a step further. Being there helped me realize that it’s about making a positive impact every day.”
The book, which is an extension of Albaum’s podcast, Market Impact Insights, takes an inside look at what inspires and drives impactful leaders. After it was all said and done, Albaum has boiled exceptional leadership down to six “universal truths,” he said.
“Through my conversations on my podcast and in writing this book, I’ve discovered that to be an effective leader, you must build vibrant cultures of innovation; develop authentic, trusted relationships; embrace diversity; leverage emerging data for better decision making; demonstrate leadership behaviors that generate exceptional results; and have an optimistic mindset,” he said. “And all of these can be developed for enhancing performance in small or large markets.”
The Impact Makers is available on Amazon and other online retailer sites.
But there is one key attribute that Albaum sees as key for future market leaders: a passion for servant leadership. This is the area, he says, that can make the largest impact for generations to come.
“Unlocking the greatest potential for leadership,” he says, “is about sharing power and removing obstacles for others to contribute even more to the organization.”
Throughout his career, however, it’s the enduring power of deep friendships and collaboration first experienced at McCombs that he says continues to impact his life. Learning from a diverse group of inspirational thinkers helped him see the world differently than when he first arrived.
“I developed life-long relationships while I was at McCombs,” he said. “I definitely benefitted from them and continue to do so.”
The Herb Kelleher Center hosts Entrepreneurship Live moderated by Dr. Luis Martins in Rowling Hall on October 3, 2019. Photo by Lauren Gerson.
What does a student do with a great idea when they lack the means or knowledge to take it to the next level? That’s the problem the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center (HKEC) sought to solve when it launched in 2001. Through its Forty Acres Founders Program, HKEC has connected students with the needed resources, mentorship, and guidance to see big ideas become reality.
Named for visionary Herb Kelleher, co-founder of Southwest Airlines, HKEC provides avenues for students to pitch and refine ideas meant to shape the future of the world. Through the Forty Acres Founders Program, undergraduates and graduates are given unprecedented access behind the curtain where they can study potential customers, improve their product and better position it for success in the marketplace
“The Forty Acres Founders Program has allowed me to build my academic background in entrepreneurship, talk to a variety of entrepreneurs, receive feedback on my startup’s progress, and find a strong community of fellow student entrepreneurs,” said Madeleine Montgomery, Forty Acres Founders Scholar and 2022 pitch competition winner.
Each Forty Acres Founders cohort is made up of 20 students from different colleges and schools across The University. A large part of the program’s success is the relationship between students and mentors. Over a ten-week period, mentors volunteer one hour per week to two student Founders offering guidance as students develop their ideas.
David Willson, Forty Acres Founders cohort ’22.
“Coaching up the skills and adding a fundamental backbone to the way we see the world of entrepreneurship is something that [the Forty Acres Founders Program] did for all of us. It was very important and imperative to our skillset,” said David Willson, Forty Acres Founders cohort ’22.
Each spring, Founders vie for an opportunity to pitch their ideas during the final pitch competition hoping to win up to $20,000 in grant funding.
“This program has such an open and inclusive environment. We all truly feel supported by our peers, mentors, and professor,” said Montgomery. “I feel much more confident to continue forward with my venture post-graduation after my participation in the Forty Acres Founders Program.”
To learn more about the Forty Acres Founders program’s engagement opportunities, please visit their website or contact Ali Arnold, Communications Specialist, for more information.
