IST plans Start-up Week To Celebrate Successful Tech Entrepreneurs

Penn State University

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Exceptionally talented young entrepreneurs from around the country, including alumni from Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), will be visiting Penn State to share their strategies for success during IST’s Start-up Week, taking place April 9-13. The week’s events, many of which will be open to the entire Penn State community, will include classroom talks on various topics related to information technology as well as opportunities to meet and mingle with the featured speakers.


David Hall, dean of the College of IST, said that Start-up Week provides an opportunity for rising stars in the information technology field to discuss a wide array of career options that students may be interested in pursuing.

“These guests are young, very successful information technology entrepreneurs,” Hall said. “They’re coming to help us showcase their success stories for current and prospective students. For students thinking about the possibilities for their future, they will find this to be an opportunity that can’t be missed. It’s the first time Penn State IST has had an alum named to Forbes’ ‘30 under 30’ list, which is a remarkable achievement.”

The entrepreneurs featured during Start-up Week include Penn State IST alumni -- David Rusenko, CEO and co-founder of Weebly, Nick Berardi, CEO and co-founder of Hoppio, David Chu, founder of Spyder-Rentals.com. In addition, Penn State engineering alumnus Matt Miller, co-founder of Career Bliss and CTO of CyberCoders, will present to IST students.

The public is invited to attend speaker presentations throughout the week, and there will be a networking session from 5:30 to 7 p.m. April 12, in Reese’s Café at the IST Building. Students and guests will be able to mingle with the speakers over light refreshments.

Penn State President Rodney Erickson, Hall, speakers, students and faculty will celebrate the entrepreneurs’ achievements and philanthropy at an ice cream social April 13, 2:30 to 4 p.m. at the Schreyer House.

Additional highlights of Start-up Week include a town hall presentation by Steve Huffman, co-founder of reddit.com. He will speak at 1:25 p.m. April 13 in the Cybertorium in the IST Building.

Original source here.