SYRACUSE, NY (April 23, 2015) - SourceFunding.org was developed through a rewarding partnership between entrepreneur W. Michael Short, the Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University, & top MBA students collaborating to build the platform.
Work on Global Entrepreneurship Platform Practically Prepares Whitman MBAs
Via Whitman Magazine (Spring 2015) - The objective of the Whitman Consulting club is to develop and enhance the skills of members interested in a consulting career. There are many avenues for achieving that outcome, including the shared perspective of accomplished speakers like Dennis Huggins of Bain & Company, who is actively engaged in Syracuse University’s Fast Forward initiative, and career exploration opportunities, such as visiting Deloitte Consulting.
Another benefit of membership is the practical preparation gained through working on real life projects like the Startup Insider Initiative, a new cloud-based incubator platform developed through a partnership between Short Enterprises and the Clinton Global Initiative.
The goal of the initiative, which has a growing network of over 250 collaborators, is to provide entrepreneurs, startups and small businesses with tools, resources and support to help them thrive. Whitman’s Alejandro Amezcua, assistant professor of entrepreneurship, recently joined the initiative’s Leadership Council.
The connection between Whitman and Short Enterprises, founded by SU alumnus W. Michael Short, was first made last summer when Aishik Barua, a second year MBA student, joined the company as a communications intern. Barua felt the firm’s small size would afford him significant work experience. That assumption came to fruition.
“Not only were there opportunities to learn new things, I was able to witness the results of my plans and actions in real time,” shared Barua.
Upon completing his internship, Barua connected Short with the Whitman Consulting Club. Since last August, six MBA students have worked closely with the Short Enterprises team.
“In order for our global initiative to empower businesses to be successful, we needed to ensure our own business had a solid foundation for growth,” said Short. “The collaboration with Whitman students has been mutually rewarding, as it is providing the students with real-world experiences while helping us evaluate and strengthen our core communications consultancy business.”
Having worked on the initiative as an intern and now overseeing the student team as a Consulting Club officer, Barua fully recognizes the value of this experience. “This project provides unique opportunities to engage with budding entrepreneurs across the world,” added Barua. “Mr. Short is a wonderful mentor who gives insightful feedback, generous encouragement and meaningful learning opportunities to help prepare students for future success."
