Office Hours are an opportunity to personally connect with representatives from a variety of industries. Sign up to meet one-on-one with specialists in marketing, sales, finance, start-ups and more. 

Spring 2022

We currently do not have any office hours sessions scheduled for Spring 2022. Check back periodically here and on social media to see if we add any to our calendar.

Spring 2021 (All S21 events are virtual)

April 19, 2021: 10 AM – 12 PM, 3 PM – 5 PM (VIRTUAL)

April 20, 2021: 10 AM – 12 PM, 3 PM – 5 PM (VIRTUAL)

Zak Slayback

Principal at 1517 Fund

Talk with Zak about how he reviews investment opportunities, career advice, and more.

About Zak

Zak Slayback is a principal at 1517 Fund, where he reviews investment opportunities and focuses on the East Coast and Midwest. He’s the author of How to Get Ahead and writes at ZakSlayback.com. He was previously a business development executive at several startups.

About 1517 Fund

Investing in companies led by young founders

1517 Fund is a venture capital fund making investments in technology startups led by young founders. Spun out of the Thiel Fellowship, 1517 specializes in investing in young talent at the earliest stages of the entrepreneurial journey. 1 in 27 founders who work with their team build a billion-dollar company (e.g., Vitalik Buterin and Ethereum, Austin Russell and Luminar).

They provide mentorship, support, and cash grants to founders before they raise venture capital funding. They invest in angel, pre-seed, and seed-stage rounds when founders do raise venture capital funding. While based in the San Francisco Bay Area, they make investments across the United States and Canada.

1517 does office hours on campuses and at organizations across the United States and Canada. Come pitch your idea to a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm that’s seen thousands of pitches. Get feedback and learn what to do next if you plan on pitching investors. 

If you plan on raising venture capital funding down the line, Office Hours is a good place to introduce yourself to the 1517 Fund, as they like to get to know teams before they invest.

Learn about how they make investments with their Anti-Pitch Playbook.

March 11, 2021: 1 PM – 4 PM (VIRTUAL)

Cat Maniscalco

Jr. Talent Acquisition Specialist at WebFX

Ask Cat about careers in digital marketing, media promotion, and more. WebFX was voted #1 Best Place to Work in PA and is actively hiring.

About Cat

Cat is a talent acquisition specialist, dog enthusiast, and lover of communication. A transplant to Harrisburg, PA from the snowy tundra that is Central New York, she’s a recent graduate of Syracuse University! At WebFX, she specializes in college communications and is always lending a hand to maintain the incredible culture of the company.

About WebFX

Digital Marketing that Drives Results

WebFX is a full-service Internet marketing and SEO company offering innovative web marketing solutions to mid to large size companies across the globe. As a leader in SEO, web design, e-commerce, website conversion, and Internet marketing services, our firm prides ourselves on driving traffic, converting visitors, and measuring effectiveness to ultimately deliver real results for our clients.

WebFX has been named the #1 Best Place to Work in Pennsylvania five years in a row and is actively hiring.

Spring 2020

February 19, 2020; 10:00 am — 11:30 am

February 20, 2020; 10:00 am — 11:00 am + 2:00 am — 4:00 pm

 

Jon Hart

Partner at Praxis

Meet with Jon Hart to talk about Praxis summer academy, redemptive entrepreneurship, and more.

About Jon

Jon Hart leads Praxis Academy, Emerging Founders, and College Partnerships as a Partner at Praxis, focusing on equipping the next generation to pursue redemptive entrepreneurship. Previously, he spent seven years at a Fortune 100 Company, where he helped launch a new venture and revive another as part of a turnaround strategy. Jon was also an Executive Producer of a successful independent film. In addition to his work at Praxis, Jon is a founding board member of 100cameras, a nonprofit that empowers youth to create change in their communities through photography. He serves as an advisor and mentor for the Quarter Zero and Catapult Incubators, and has taught entrepreneurship as an adjunct at The King’s College NYC. He holds a BA from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.

About Praxis

A Creative Engine for Redemptive Entrepreneurship

Praxis is a creative engine advancing redemptive entrepreneurship. They build ventures, community, and content. Praxis’s desire is to build a community of founders, funders, and ventures that act redemptively, demonstrating faith in a winsome way across culture. 

They believe the great Christian narrative of Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration frames the task of the Christian entrepreneur. They work for impact that approximates the ultimate restoration that we know is one day coming.

March 24, 8:30 – 10:30 AM + 7-10 PM  CANCELLED

Chadwyck Cobb ’14, Entrepreneurship Major

Post-Enrollment Manager at Atlantis

Meet about your business plan or pitch, ask questions about a career in startups, or learn about building cross-functional teams.

About Chadwyck

Chadwyck loves Entrepreneurship and helping empower founders. A successful business plan/pitch competitor, UNsuccessful solo-entrepreneur, and current manager at a growth stage startup, Chadwyck finds joy in simplifying complex ideas into actionable insights. 

Chadwyck failed to start two companies, has lead teams at Sandboxx.us and Atlantis, and in his spare time helps DonorSee.com—the future of charity. 

March 25, 2 – 4 PM  CANCELLED 

Kelly Costello ’07

Founder + CEO of Puppy Cake

Ask Kelly questions about a career in startups, talk to her about your business idea, and more.

About Kelly

Kelly is the founder and CEO of Puppy Cake. Within a year of graduating college, she had created the venture. It took her longer than expected to grow Puppy Cake to the level that it is today, but there were many important lessons learned along the way. Kelly regularly does speaking engagements or private coaching to help budding entrepreneurs achieve their dreams and goals. Today, Kelly lives in Evans City with her husband, Blake, 5 rescue dogs and 2 (3 legged) rescue cats.

About Puppy Cake

A fun and healthy treat for dogs

Puppy Cake seeks to provide a healthy and satisfying treat for dogs and a fun experience for their owners. We use only human grade and natural ingredients in our products because we believe that Puppy Cake is held to a higher standard. Customer service is a top priority that we take very seriously. We first want to make sure every customer, from consumer to retailer, has a great experience. We stand behind our product 100% and will work to ensure satisfaction with every transaction. Our company wants to further the well being of canines throughout the US by donating a portion of our profits to animal rescue organizations. 

April 15, 1 – 5 PM 

Zak Slayback

Principal at 1517 Fund

Talk with Zak about how he reviews investment opportunities, career advice, and more.

About Zak

Zak Slayback is a principal at 1517 Fund, where he reviews investment opportunities and focuses on the East Coast and Midwest. He’s the author of How to Get Ahead and writes at ZakSlayback.com. He was previously a business development executive at several startups.

About 1517 Fund

Investing in companies led by young founders

1517 Fund is a venture capital fund making investments in technology startups led by young founders. Spun out of the Thiel Fellowship, 1517 specializes in investing in young talent at the earliest stages of the entrepreneurial journey. 1 in 27 founders who work with our team builds a billion-dollar company (e.g., Vitalik Buterin and Ethereum, Austin Russell and Luminar).

They provide mentorship, support, and cash grants to founders before they raise venture capital funding. They invest in angel, pre-seed, and seed-stage rounds when founders do raise venture capital funding. While based in the San Francisco Bay Area, they make investments across the United States and Canada.

1517 does office hours on campuses and at organizations across the United States and Canada. Come pitch your idea to a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm that’s seen thousands of pitches. Get feedback and learn what to do next if you plan on pitching investors. 

If you plan on raising venture capital funding down the line, Office Hours is a good place to introduce yourself to us, as they like to get to know teams before they invest.

Learn about how they make investments with our Anti-Pitch Playbook.