After gawking at the amazing view, spectacular lighting, sparkling water fountain, and randomly placed disco ball located right above our heads, we settled down into our rooftop seats awaiting the beginning of our first ever education event. We didn't know what to expect, but we were looking forward to meeting and greeting the great minds in the education realm, students, friends, and of course, ITC's favorite fans. What came of the round table turned social happy hour? The typical networking connections, a great new partnership, a slew of amazing article ideas, and, oh yeah, did I mention a job? The first of what's sure to be a monthly occurrence, ITC Goes Back to School was a hit, primarily due to the people in attendance spurring great conversation.
The night started off with a series of drinks on the rooftop of The Beacon Hotel with everyone turning to the person next to them, engaging in discussions and even debates about higher education as well as other topics of interest. Meeting those behind the scenes like Jim Chung, Director of the Office of Entrepreneurship at The George Washington University, was eye-opening, gaining insight into how the university functions and learning about his opinions on certain subject matter I've always wondered about (i.e. the new GW logo).
Having Kristina Martin in attendance provided for a whole different perspective as a current student at GW. As I questioned her about her thoughts concerning the disconnect between the startup world and higher education, she relayed to me several reasons as to why students and startups in the D.C. area have such a difficult time finding each other. The main concern being that students aren't aware of the presence of startups, an issue we at ITC can't wait to begin working on.
All in all, the night was a great success. We brought members of the D.C. community together to engage in tantalizing conversations and introduced those looking to get involved to others gearing up to conquer the education world. If you missed out, make sure to come next time where we will be hosting a panel of college administrators and startup folk to further discuss Kristina's main concern that seems to be a fairly common problem for universities and startups across Maryland, Virginia, and the District.
Big thanks to all who came and enjoy the pictures above!
