Career Track Curriculum Program
The Career Track Curriculum Program was founded at Florida A&M University by 4 FAMU students, Ali Aly, Tabia Cannon, Sydney Holness, Garrett Tolbert, and FAMU alumnus & BVCC Executive Director Malcolm Robinson. The purpose of the program is to educate, expose, and provide opportunities within the fields of Venture Capital, Entrepreneurship, and Technology.
Students select one of six tracks and participate in a 10-session curriculum with materials, assignments, and projects. The sessions are led by a combination of BVCC staff and professional guest lecturers. On top of the educational sessions, students participate in industry-related and community-building extracurricular events.
Program Start Date: 09/17/2024
Deadline to apply: 10/08/2024
Currently operating at the following universities:
Florida A&M University
Howard University
Jackson State University
Morehouse College
Morgan State University
North Carolina A&T University
Spelman College
Tennessee State University (starting Fall 2024)
Wellesley College
Six Curriculum Career Tracks
Venture Capitalists (VCs) identify, analyze, and invest in companies with large growth potential. In the VC track students learn how to source, analyze, and invest in scalable startups. The sessions cover sourcing, due diligence, financial modeling, and valuation analysis. Qualified candidates selected for summer internships then work on live deals for the HBCU BVCC Student Venture Fund.
Venture Capital
Entrepreneurs (ENTP) identify problems and create a business to solve them. Students in the ENTP track develop their entrepreneurial mindset, learn the fundamentals required to build and scale a sustainable company, and recruit student engineers & designers to become co-founders; ultimately collaborating to build their own startup.
Entrepreneurship
Product Managers (PM) oversee the success of their organization's product. Students in the PM track learn product management fundamentals — learning how to identify problems, generate solutions, and develop a product launch plan. Students can become a co-founder of a student startup or work on student consulting projects. The curriculum provides students with the education and experience needed to pursue careers in PM.
Product Management
UX Designers (UXD) consider user pain points, behaviors and preferences to design products that improve user experience and maximize product efficiency. Students in the UXD track learn Design and research fundamentals, build high-fidelity designs using Figma, create a digital design portfolio, and become a co-founder of a student startup or work on projects in the spring. The curriculum provides them with the education and experience needed to access careers in UXD.
User Experience Design
UX Researchers (UXR) uncover user behaviors, needs, and motivations to identify opportunities and help improve products and services. Students in the UXR track gain a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental techniques for ideating and iterating digital products. Participants learn how to gather insights through deep customer research, analyze data, and apply findings to enhance user experiences; resulting in better, more user-friendly products. They also have the opportunity to become a co-founder of a student startup or work on projects in the spring. The curriculum provides them with the education and experience needed to access careers in UXR.
User Experience Research
Software Engineers (SWE) are responsible for designing, testing, and building programs for hardware, operating systems, and networks to solve real-world problems. Students in the SWE track learn software engineering fundamentals, conduct mock technical interviews with experienced SWEs, develop their personal & GitHub portfolios, and become a co-founder of a student startup or work on projects in the spring.
Software Engineering
Upon successfully completing one of our six career tracks, cohort members can become founders or co-founders of their own startup companies.
As of 2022, 17 student start-up companies have been founded. BVCC provides students with invaluable access to entrepreneurial resources, constructive feedback, office hours with BVCC associates, and the opportunity to compete in our Spring Pitch Competition.
If you are interested in connecting with student leaders from your specific university please click here.
If you are interested in joining the curriculum program but don’t have a chapter at your university please email jahleesa@bvcc.vc.
Program Evolution
2022/2023 Academic Year
Expanded to Morgan State and Jackson State
Trained 402 cohort members across 7 tracks
Launched BVCC Co-Creation Design projects in partnership with Google volunteers
10 student companies formed, 3 companies pitched in the Spring Pitch Competition
2021/2022 Academic Year
Expanded to Prairie View A&M, North Carolina A&T, and Delaware State
Trained 449 cohort members across 6 tracks
Addition of 2 new tracks: Product Management & Robotics Track
Launched BVCC student consulting projects
Launched $7.5mm Student-led Venture Fund
2020/2021 Academic Year
Expanded from FAMU to Morehouse, Clark Atlanta, Spelman, Howard, and Hampton
Trained 164 Active Participants across the 4 tracks
17 high fidelity UX designs created, 9 MVPs created
23 student companies founded, 3 of which pitched in the Spring Pitch Competition
223 companies applied for the Spring Pitch Competition. Investment made in Intus Care
2019/2020 Academic Year
Piloted and attained proof of concept for the Venture Capital curriculum at Florida A&M
Trained 26 active participants across the 4 tracks
Four student companies founded
FAQ’s
The curriculum for the 2023/2024 academic year will start on September 19th, 2023. Students interested in participating should fill out this form by 9/18/2023.
When does the curriculum start?
The program is free. BVCC does not charge the students or the participating universities. The curriculum is completely funded by BVCC and our sponsors.
How much does the Program cost?
There are no criteria. The curriculum is open to any student currently attending an HBCU, regardless of their major, classification, or GPA.
What is the criteria for joining the program?
Students can expect to allocate 3 to 5 hours per week attending the sessions, completing assignments outside of sessions, and attending community events.
What is the time commitment?
There is no GPA requirement to join the Career Track Curriculum program but only students with a 3.5+ GPA are eligible for the internships.
IS there a GPA requirement?
Students interested in becoming a student leader for Fall 2023 should click here.
How do I become a student leader?
Presidents receive $1,500/semester with the potential to earn a $500 bonus. Curriculum track leads receive $1,000/semester with the potential to earn a $250 bonus.
How much are student leads paid?
Yes. Please fill out the form below.