A few years ago, I received an email informing me of a new class at Lehigh offered through the entrepreneurship school. Transfixed on the idea of launching my own startup, I was quick to sign up. Not quick enough, though, as by the time it was my turn to register, the class was filled.
A year later, I tried again. I got in. Fresh from attending Lehigh in Silicon Valley, I found the Spring 2015 session of Software Ventures to be wonderfully immersive. Though my group’s “great idea” turned out to be not-so-great by the end of the semester, the learning experience was valuable. My youthful exuberance matured to a more apprehensive and realistic passion for entrepreneurship.
Now, another year has gone by, I’ve finished all of my required courses and am ready to graduate in May. I ended up taking another class taught by my Software Ventures professor, Josh Ehrig, when I took Hustle Hard: Hip Hop in Entrepreneurship this fall. At one point, he asked if I would be interested in being the Teaching Assistant for Software Ventures during Spring 2016. I jumped at the opportunity.
So here we are. Though my role as TA is formally defined, I don’t think it’s important to list the obvious here. My goal for this semester is to facilitate learning, discussion, and openness as it pertains to software startups.
You may be wondering why I’d find it necessary to detail any of this on Medium. To fulfill my Minor in Entrepreneurship, I have designed an independent study which has two parts. The first is that I will be studying and writing essays on various “company” cultures each week. Though these essays won’t be required readings for the class, they should provide a worthwhile supplement to class material.
For the second part of my independent study, I will be working with Lehigh startup GreekPillar, which provides a seamless fraternity and sorority recruitment application. The co-founders are hard-working guys who know their market well. JJ O’Brien, who was my roommate in Silicon Valley and was also in my group for Software Ventures, works in a business development and sales role. Greg Potter, who I’ve lived with for the last three years, is the technical co-founder who has built what I believe is an industry-leading application. My role will be a blend of both Software Engineering and Business development, with a goal of adding value to the company while being able to provide unique insights to the Software Ventures class.
It goes without saying that I am excited, elated, enthused, and all the other synonyms that people use to express that they are just into something. All it took for me was one great professor, and one great class. It would be a disservice for me to not try to make it even better.
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ENTP 371: Independent Study in Entrepreneurship
Overview
Week 0 (January 20th): Introductory Post
Week 1 (January 27th): Silicon Valley
Week 2 (February 3rd): Google
Week 5 (February 24th): Lehman Brothers
Week 7 (March 9th): Che Guevara, Cuba, Revolutions
Week 8: [Spring Break]
Week 12 (April 13th): Japan
Week 14 (April 27th): Organized Crime
Week 15 (May 4th): Demo Day, final paper
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Tim O’Hearn is a senior studying Computer Science & Business at Lehigh University.