Are you a student creator?<\/p>\n
Do you have a portfolio of photography, video production, animation, or design work and want to share your talent with the world?<\/p>\n
Are you an actual or aspiring social media influencer looking to help build brands while growing your own?<\/p>\n
If so, a new fellowship and experiential learning opportunity at UConn may be for you!<\/p>\n
The Peter J. Werth Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation<\/a> is seeking undergraduate UConn students interested in applying their special sets of skills to work with student-athletes seeking to monetize their Name, Image, and Likeness, or NIL, through the institute\u2019s new initiative, Championship Labs<\/a>.<\/p>\n The handful of select students chosen to take part in an inaugural paid Championship Labs fellowship<\/a> will kick-off their experience with a trip to the Los Angeles area from November 6 through November 11, where they\u2019ll be able to network new connections in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of our goals with Championship Labs is to connect skilled students with student-athletes to help create a blueprint for building a personal brand,\u201d says Tara Watrous, head of entrepreneurial transformation for the Werth Institute. \u201cWe\u2019re looking to recruit home-grown talent to work with our student-athletes, and this trip will be a kick-off for our new fellows as they begin their work.\u201d<\/p>\n Highlights of the trip will include a visit to the corporate headquarters of global giant Meta<\/a> \u2013 parent company of Facebook \u2013 as well as to the Los Angeles offices of the social media powerhouse TikTok<\/a>.<\/p>\n The trip will also include a visit with UConn alum, entrepreneur, and social media influencer Marc D\u2019Amelio \u201991 (CLAS), a strong supporter of Championship Labs, at his family\u2019s studios.<\/p>\n \u201cA huge piece will be the networking opportunities,\u201d says Watrous, “and gaining a stronger understanding of how to build and leverage a brand.\u201d<\/p>\n The trip will mark the second time that the Werth Institute has brought entrepreneurial-minded UConn students out to the West Coast<\/a> \u2013 an experiential learning opportunity that the institute\u2019s director, David Noble, says offers students a first-hand look at entrepreneurship in action.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a chance for young creators and social media influencers at UConn to gain invaluable experience and insight into building content, products, and ventures, while also connecting with and learning from alumni and mentors who can help them along the way,\u201d says Noble.<\/p>\n Championship Labs was created to prepare and propel UConn\u2019s student-athletes to maximize their NIL opportunities, including third-party deals, brand development, and launching their own companies and ventures. With a network of serial entrepreneurs and business leaders on hand \u2013 most of whom are also former athletes \u2013 Championships Labs offers an array of entrepreneurial academic and hands-on experiential learning programs along with funding support to launch a business.<\/p>\n Undergraduate fellows will play a critical role, says Watrous, by contributing their unique perspective and skills to a team of like-minded young entrepreneurs and creators.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re looking for artists,\u201d says Watrous. \u201cWe\u2019re looking for designers and producers. We\u2019re looking for students who have already established themselves as a social media presence and want to inspire others to achieve similar success. We\u2019re looking for students who have a voice and a vision and who want to work with us and their peers to build something new and exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n Students interested in applying for a Championship Labs fellowship can do so through this online form<\/a>. The deadline to apply is October 10.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n