Students get up-close lessons in economics and more at SXSW conference
Sometimes the best way to learn is to get out of the classroom. For a dozen students taking a special studies course called The Economics of Start-Ups, that meant traveling 1,273 miles away from their classroom to the SXSW Conference and Festivals in Austin, Texas.
During regular weekly classes, taught by adjunct faculty member Thomas Debass, the course in the Department of Economics in the College of Science focused on economics entrepreneurship and venture capital. For four eye-opening days during Virginia Tech’s spring break, the students saw firsthand how the lessons from their class manifest themselves in society.
Alexander Ardaiz, a sophomore from Alexandria, enjoyed watching the pitch competitions and speakers at SXSW who talked of the resilience and ingenuity required of the founders of start-up companies as well as the informal conversations with attendees working for or leading start-ups.
“I don’t think I would have gotten that level of face time and access to people in this ecosystem anywhere else during my college experience,” Ardaiz said. “Everyone in every line at every event wanted to engage with you.”
Holly Stewart, a junior from Herndon, was amazed by the happenstance interactions she came across, such as making friends with German people her age and chatting with the mayor of a Texas town. Her memories include a breadth of experiences, from sitting 20 feet away from entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” star Mark Cuban to being interviewed on the street by a fungi representing a yogurt start-up company.
“The SXSW trip connected me to so many opportunities to learn about the future of our world,” Stewart said. “It felt like we were surrounded by success and determination.”
“It was amazing," said Aiden Keesee, a senior from Dayton, Virginia. "I got to listen to industry leaders, and well-known speakers provided very useful insight on the future of the start-up market, investing, and AI technologies’ role in start-ups.”
Jadrian Wooten, director of undergraduate studies and a collegiate associate professor of economics, said hands-on experiential learning trips such as the one to SXSW complements what the students hear in the classroom. Meeting with professionals, attending workshops, and networking with peers allow the students to learn in ways that “can’t easily be replicated in a classroom setting alone.”
“These types of experiences are great options for students who may not be able to devote months to an internship, a study abroad trip, or undergraduate research,” Wooten said. “I am hopeful that we can continue to expand and enhance these opportunities in future semesters.”
The students who attended funded their own trip. Knowing that learning experiences like this will help students achieve their goals after graduation, the university through Virginia Tech Advantage is committed to making such opportunities available to all students.
