Two Tufts students to become Venture for America fellows

Venture for America (VFA), a two-year program that places graduates into entrepreneurial settings, recently selected senior John Docal and second-year master's candidate Michael Weinstein as fellows. Docal said that he and Weinstein are the first Tufts students so far who will participate in the program. 

The program enables recent college graduates to create tangible change in small businesses and offers a variety of opportunities, including funding, experience and connections in the business world, according to Weinstein.

Beginning in August 2015, VFA will train the fellows for five weeks at Brown University and then send them to work at start-up companies in U.S. cities, according to Leandra Elberger (LA' 08), VFA administrator and development manager.  The program focuses on the economic revitalization of 12 emerging cities, including Baltimore, Cincinnati, Detroit, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Providence.

Because there are still two rounds of applications left for this year's cycle, Elberger explained, the total number of applicants is still unknown. In past years, however, the acceptance rate for Tufts students has been about 10 percent.

"I am thrilled to see that Tufts students are excited about Venture for America," she told the Daily in an email. "Tufts has an emerging group of students who are really passionate about entrepreneurship and also care a great deal about civic engagement. VFA is a great alternative path for those who really want to make an impact on a city while learning how to build something."

The VFA application process consists of four steps, according to Weinstein. Students must fill out a standard online application, submit a video that displays their personality, field a phone interview and participate in a Selection Day event that takes place in New York City.

Selection Day includes a series of challenges that aim to make applicants feel unified and included within the organization, Docal added.

Both Weinstein and Docal said that they view VFA both as a window into their future, as well as a chance to gain employment right after graduation and to make a difference in a company.

“I see myself as eventually starting my own business one day, and it's hard to get to that right out of school," Weinstein said. "You need to be really driven and have the resources to make that happen. For people who are about to graduate, Venture for America is a wonderful opportunity that will allow you to create change within a company that you can see.”

Docal said that he would like to learn how to be an entrepreneur while also striving to create social change.

“It is a cool, different option for students to take after they graduate," he said. "It is not a consulting job, but you can have a large impact in a small group, and people should definitely look out for it.”

Although he is uncertain of the work he will be doing for VFA next year, Weinstein said he believes that it will either be related to engineering, which is his current field of study, or business.

Docal, who learned about the program through the Tufts Career Fair, urged other Tufts students to apply.

“We should increase the Tufts numbers [of fellows],” he said.