By Elyse Soracco
Earlier this Spring, I took a trip to Austin, Texas to attend an alumni event highlighting entrepreneurship on campus. As a senior* in the Entrepreneurship Minor, I’m no stranger to the CFE and its work – I can’t imagine my Michigan experience without programs like ELP and courses like EHour. Take it from me, there are big things happening in the UofM entrepreneurial ecosystem right now. Here’s a recap of my trip to Austin – I’ll be sure to highlight some ways that both students and alumni can get involved with the CFE.
Wednesday, April 9, 2025.
I landed in Austin alongside Kurt Skifstad, the CFE’s Executive Director, and Taya Sapp, the CFE’s Assistant Director of External Engagement. Right away, we noticed Austin’s terminal had a robot for everything: smoothie makers, lego vending machines, cubicle spaces – you name it, the airport had it automated. Headed for Texas – I’ll be honest – I pictured some tumbleweeds, but my first 10 minutes in Austin already seemed like a proving ground for some new ideas. Later that night, the three of us attended a College of Engineering dinner with local alumni. I talked with U-M engineering alumni about the state of Michigan football, engineering, and – most prominently – how ENTR coursework is valuable to students.
Thursday, April 10, 2025.
This was technically the “big day” for me – the main event was in the evening after Taya, Kurt, and I attended a series of coffee chats with CFE-affiliated alumni. We met with Michael Thompson – a veteran of growth-stage tech companies, Ally Farmer – a venture capitalist at Intel Capital, and Dave Hannon – a global manager of HR at McKinsey. Everyone we talked to was super excited to see the growth in entrepreneurial engagements, noting that CFE Treks were memorable experiences that shaped their career outlooks and that it is great that so many students are able to access these opportunities.
Between coffee chats, I walked around downtown, appreciating the 85 degree day as it snowed back in Ann Arbor. After freshening up, I attended the alumni event, which featured three distinct entrepreneurial ‘hubs’ on campus: the CFE, the ZLI, and SMTD’s Department of Entrepreneurship & Leadership. I represented the CFE from a student perspective, shared the opportunities I exploited as an undergraduate, and gave alumni an understanding of how the CFE shaped my education. About 1 in 5 students engage in ENTR courses; for engineers like me, that ratio is 1 in 3. Beyond courses, though, there are ways to get involved in Michigan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. In fact, WEhub – an entrepreneurs network for both students and alumni that the CFE & ZLI created together – is a new tool to keep up with what’s happening on and off campus, like finding co-founders, start-up jobs, and development workshops.
Friday, April 11, 2025.
This was my last day in Texas, so Taya and I decided to explore a bit more of the city. When booking a rideshare, we ended up driverless, (but don’t worry, this is what we were hoping for)! We took a self-driving car to the other side of Austin, which was exciting to check off my bucket list. Not only did it feel futuristic, I actually felt safer watching what the car’s sensors could ‘see’ as it drove than I do as a passenger in a normal car. Plus, I think this technology is bound to end up in Ann Arbor in the next few years – especially with the work Perot Jain TechLab at M-City is up to.
I flew back to campus midway through the day, about 2 weeks out from joining the alumni network. But this trip to Texas was a timely reminder that, first, wolverines from any generation want to stay involved, leading, and best; and second, that our top-ranked entrepreneurial ecosystem benefits students, the University, and the greater community as it continues to grow.
Takeaways
- Austin, Texas is rapidly growing and so is its entrepreneurship and tech scene
- 1 in 5 students on campus engage in CFE-provided opportunities
- Alumni can get involved with the CFE as FUEL program judges or Trek stop hosts
- Every wolverine with entrepreneurial interests should get involved on WEhub
*note: Elyse graduated in May 2025 with a major in Mechanical Engineering and a Minor in Entrepreneurship