At the Center for Entrepreneurship (CFE), our Instructional Aides (IAs) play a vital role in shaping the learning experience. More than just classroom support, they are collaborators, leaders, and catalysts for innovation. These students bring curiosity, energy, and initiative to every course they support, creating spaces where students are empowered to take risks and think entrepreneurially.
As 14 of our standout IAs prepare to graduate from the University of Michigan, we’re taking a moment to highlight a few of them. These graduates have helped make CFE courses more engaging, collaborative, and impactful, and we’re proud to celebrate their contributions – and their bright futures!
Sophia Severance
B.B.A., Ross School of Business | Entrepreneurship Minor
Instructional Aide, ENTR 390.011
Sophia was introduced to the Center for Entrepreneurship by an upperclassman who recommended the minor as a complement to her Business degree. “It felt like the perfect way to round out my business education with hands-on, creative learning.”
Through the minor, Sophia took several ENTR courses and became a long-time Instructional Aide for ENTR 390.011: E-Commerce Entrepreneurship with Rishi Narayan—a role she held for three years. “It was such a fun experience getting to help run the course and watch each new class develop and pitch their own ideas.”
Her favorite part of the CFE experience was seeing how different teams tackled problems with fresh ideas each semester. “Watching students take ownership of their projects and grow more confident in their thinking was inspiring.”
Now actively exploring roles in marketing, Sophia plans to use her business and entrepreneurship background to bring a creative and people-focused approach to whatever comes next. Her advice to future students: “Take advantage of your network! You never know where one conversation might lead.”
Adam Perlstein
B.S.E., Biomedical Engineering
Instructional Aide, ENTR 550
Production Assistant, ENTR 407
Adam Perlstein spent three terms as an Instructional Assistant for ENTR 550: Interpersonal Skills and one term as a Program Assistant for ENTR 407: EHour, experiences that shaped his understanding of leadership and the entrepreneurial mindset. “In that class I learned so much about leadership,” he said of ENTR 550.
Adam first found CFE through the course guide, enrolling in ENTR 407 and discussion section 417, where he built a strong connection with instructor Christine Gordon. After researching a speaker’s LinkedIn profile and spotting a strategic business structure behind her ventures, Adam worked with Christine to craft a question that revealed “a super interesting answer from the perspective of the business of actually executing on entrepreneurship.” That exchange deepened his appreciation for the strategy and foresight required in real-world innovation.
To future CFE students, Adam offers this advice: “Engage with the people in CFE—they know a ton of incredibly valuable things and are also just good people.”
This fall, Adam will begin his PhD in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Connecticut, conducting research under Dr. Cato Laurencin.
Elyse Soracco
B.S.E., Mechanical Engineering | Entrepreneurship Minor
Instructional Aide, ENTR 407
Elyse first discovered the CFE when she signed up for ENTR 404: E-Commerce Entrepreneurship her freshman year. “I was curious about how to make and sell something new—and I loved it.” From there, she took an ENTR class every semester, eventually completing the minor, joining the Entrepreneurial Leadership Program (ELP), attending two CFE Treks, winning the M-Tank pitch competition, and serving as an IA for EHour for three years.
She defines the entrepreneurial mindset as being resourceful and impact-driven. “It’s about asking, ‘How can I make X to get Y result in a sustainable way that benefits Z people?’” Her time with the CFE gave her not only practical tools—like business model canvases and market research strategies—but the confidence and support system to act on bold ideas.
One of those ideas started as a personal project: building a “Roomba for driveways” for her dad. That prototype evolved into a venture that raised $16,000 in non-dilutive funding, filed a provisional patent, and underwent multiple iterations. “I learned what it really takes to build something from scratch—and how important it is to pause and think, especially when things feel urgent.”
Now a recent graduate, Elyse hopes to work on technologies that address global challenges like clean water access, sustainable ocean research, and reducing pollution through mechanical innovation.
Aaron Hsu
B.S.E., Computer Science
CFE Instructional Aide & Study Abroad Alum
Aaron first connected with the CFE through the Entrepreneurship in Copenhagen study abroad program, where he studied under Scandinavian founders and worked part-time at a Danish startup called Tiimo. “It was the perfect blend of learning and building in a new environment.”
After returning to campus, he stayed involved as an Instructional Aide for ENTR 490: Storytelling for Innovators with Professor Ted Dacko. “That class changed how I saw entrepreneurship—not as a job title, but as a mindset built on persistence and people.”
Aaron applied that mindset beyond the classroom by rebuilding Maize FC, an independent, student-run soccer team. What started as a scrappy club with no coach and minimal funding grew into a competitive program with community sponsors, record tryouts, and long-term sustainability. “We built something that lasts, and that’s what entrepreneurship is really about.”
Now heading to Boston to join Viasat as an engineer, Aaron credits the CFE and its community for helping him learn how to lead, build, and grow. His advice to future students: “Say yes. The people around you—your team, your mentors, your classmates—are your biggest asset. Invest in those relationships.”
We’re grateful for everything these IAs have contributed to the CFE community, and we can’t wait to see what they do next! Whether they’re launching startups, joining industry leaders, or carving new paths, we know they’ll continue to bring bold ideas and entrepreneurial thinking wherever they go.