Valentines and Butterflies

For the first half of the year, the walls of Sage Hall were impenetrable. The world outside virtually didn't exist, and conversations revolved almost exclusively around core classes and impending job searches.

Times have changed. The Immersion program, although segregating, has enabled a certain depth of knowledge and practical experience. But there's more. I've begun exploring some of the research produced by the truly great minds of the Cornell community--the engineers.

Let's face it, business is just a tool--a mechanism to bring products to market and keep capital in the system. It's not magic, though it can be highly creative. The real innovation happens well before commerce is even relevant. The amazing thing about Cornell is that the University manages to produce some of the greatest science and technology in the world, in a wholly unpretentious way. CCTEC, the University's technology transfer office, opens its arms to MBAs, professors are supportive, and engineers are willing and excited to share their research. In a world where doors are constantly closed on young entrepreneurs and where individuals sideline themselves all-too-often, this dynamic is truly breathtaking.

When we were little kids we used to decorate shoe boxes and make cute valentines out of doilies for all the other kids in our class. A couple decades later, this kind of trade has changed slightly, but the spirit remains the same. When I learn about an exciting technology, I literally get butterflies. And then there is the unritualized, awkward process of putting myself out there, making sure there's chemistry, and finding a common goal. Truth be told, sometimes you get a valentine back and sometimes you don't. Regardless, the process is heartening.