It’s said experiences during your college years can open your eyes to the world around you. For University of Michigan senior (and MVCA’s new summer intern!) Elena Ramos, it was her participation in the university’s Entrepreneurial Challenge that showed her the impact an entrepreneur and her investors can have on the world in a positive way. “We had less than 48 hours to develop a business model for a company that would help solve one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, such as increasing affordable housing, clean water, quality education, and climate change. Once we created our proposal, we presented our ideas to a panel of professors and venture capitalists from the area. This experience reinforced how crucial entrepreneurs and investors are to creating global change.”
Ramos takes that experience with her as she joins the MVCA this summer, where she hopes to learn more about Michigan’s community of entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. “Growing up, my father owned and operated his own business, so I’ve had a unique perspective on the strategic management required of an entrepreneur. I’m excited to work at MVCA with some of Michigan’s best entrepreneurs and investors, to learn firsthand what it takes to successfully run a business here.”
Although graduation is nearing, Ramos is keeping her career options open and is eager to apply her experience at MVCA to wherever her professional life eventually leads. “I have particularly enjoyed my management and strategy classes, which are teaching me to hone my creativity in developing solutions for real business cases. I can definitely see myself as a consultant, entrepreneur, or venture capitalist.” However, the Boston-native is captain of the U-M Women’s Club Lacrosse team, relatively fluent in American Sign Language and practiced in aerial silks, so as she says: “At this stage, anything is possible. That’s what’s so fun (and scary) about graduating from college.”