Alumni

University of Illinois alumni are instrumental in driving entrepreneurial initiatives for students on campus. Their wealth of experience and networks offer invaluable support to aspiring student entrepreneurs. Your support fosters mentorship, guidance, and potential funding opportunities, enriching our programs, events, and academic offerings.  Furthermore, alumni involvement reinforces the university's legacy of innovation, fostering a sense of community and continuity. There are several opportunities for you to make a difference to student entrepreneurs. 

Fall Experiences

• Innovation Living-Learning Community (LLC): Program where freshmen and sophomores live on the same dorm floor, take the same course, access an exclusive maker space, and access inclusive events and programs.  TEC is open to alums interested in speaking to this group of students about their time on campus and their innovation/entrepreneurial career path. 
• TEC Academics: We offer courses, certificates, and a dual degree program. Quite a few of these offerings need entrepreneurial guest speakers to speak to classes.
• Silicon Valley Entrepreneurship Workshop: This is an immersive mid-January trip for 25 students. TEC actively recruits California-based, experienced alumni founders to host the group while in Silicon Valley.

Spring Experiences

• Cozad New Venture Challenge: Cozad is the campus wide, semester-long entrepreneurship program that provides startup business basics through workshops, access to mentors and coaches, and cash and in-kind prizes for promising ventures.  The Spring 2024 cohort includes over 500 students on 200 teams. TEC looks for sponsorship dollars where 100% of the funds can go to student ideas along with mentors and judges.

Please direct any questions to Stephanie Faraci at shalvors@illinois.edu.