I had the immense pleasure of being both a StartUP FIU intern, and the Campus Director for the Hult Prize @ FIU during the Fall 2017 semester. StartUP FIU is Florida International University's initiative to foster innovation and entrepreneurship. As an intern, I helped with social media and the marketing of programs and events put on by StartUP FIU.

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I also served as my school's Campus Director for the Hult Prize competition. The Hult Prize is a social entrepreneurship competition that challenges teams from colleges and universities around the world to solve pressing social issues surrounding topics such as food security, water access, energy, and education. StartUP FIU brought the on-campus qualifying competition to FIU for the second year in a row. The winner from the on-campus competition created a startup business that focused on converting kinetic energy into electrical energy. After winning at FIU, they competed in the Boston Regionals.

 

As Campus Director, I was tasked in programming meet-ups, think tanks and info sessions to inform students about the Hult Prize. I, with the incredible Daniela Cadena, Program Manager of StartUP FIU, recruited 10 teams to compete on-campus. I also served as the liaison between the Hult Prize and my campus.

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The Hult Prize does real impactful work on a global scale, and I was honored to be a part of that impact. My opinion on entrepreneurship changed after my time at StartUP FIU and as a Campus Director. I realized the importance of paying it forward and working to make a lasting impact on the world, using my ideas and knowledge. I was inspired by the work being done by the teams at FIU and globally. This capstone internship is one of the highlights of my undergraduate education. StartUP FIU is such an amazing program, with an amazing mission and inspiring people. Daniela Cadena, was the absolute greatest person to work with. She encouraged me every step of the way, and gave me full-range to flourish.