2024 Kessler Fellows
Kessler Fellows is an entrepreneurship program rooted in Cornell Engineering. The program is open to all juniors at Cornell University that have a strong interest in entrepreneurship. Students will engage in a semester-long immersion aimed to help them cultivate their entrepreneurial readiness before their summer experience with a startup.
Meet the 2024 Kessler Fellows
Eliz Celik
Biomedical Engineering
"I am drawn to entrepreneurship for its dynamic challenges, the opportunity to innovate, and the potential to create meaningful impact. The ability to transform ideas into successful ventures and contribute to positive change motivates me to explore and excel in the entrepreneurial landscape."
Jesse Cheng
Computer Science
"As a Kessler Fellow, I hope to understand what it takes to build a successful startup and connect with like-minded students who are driven to make a tangible impact."
Rachael Close
Engineering Computer Science
"As a Kessler Fellow, I aim to deepen my understanding of technological entrepreneurship, leveraging my background in computer science. I seek to integrate my technical skills and entrepreneurial spirit to create impactful solutions."
James Jabara
Chemistry and Biology
"I hope to acquire and develop the necessary skills to launch and operate my own business venture(s) in the future. I'd also like to meet other students who are similarly interested in startups and entrepreneurship."
Armita Jamshidi
Women's Health (College Scholar) and Computer Science
"I hope to take the skills I learn from working at a quickly growing startup to scale my business, Aunt Flo's Kitchen."
James Koga
Computer Science
"I hope to learn about the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and running a company so I can eventually start my own venture in the music and technology space."
Tommy Kubicka
Applied Economics and Management
"I hope to gain operational experience at a startup that is looking to revolutionize their respected industry."
An Le
Information Science
"I hope to meet other students interested in entrepreneurship to learn about their passions, listen to sharing sessions from Cornell alumni, and support others in growing and learning about entrepreneurship."
Zhu (Eric) Liu
Computer Science
"As I hope to establish my own business, I want to learn about the startup process, experiencing company operations from pre-seed to scale stage. As I already have several ideas for my startup, the experience Kessler provides is invaluable to me, as it will teach me the "hows" of entrepreneurship."
Patrick Moore
Chemical Engineering
"With the Kessler Fellows Program, I aspire to become intimately familiar with the startup environment while learning and experiencing new perspectives on how to develop a business. I want to make the most out of an experience working with a technology-based startup."
Nirbhay Singh Narang
Computer Science
"I see entrepreneurship as the perfect combination of personal values and professional work. From Naval, the most effective way to be exceptional is to do something that resonates deeply with you - the only way this works is if you have the freedom to do so."
Salvatore Natale
Computer Science
"I hope to use this experience to learn more about the beginnings of startups and business ventures, gain experience engineering, and develop connections with peers and mentors who can help in my professional journey."
Shreemann Raghavan
Applied Economics and Management
"My aspiration as a Kessler Fellow is to deepen my entrepreneurial skills, gain firsthand startup experience, and build relationships with a cohort of like minded and futuristic students."
Sam Rebello
Agricultural Science and Information Science
"I aim to channel the program's resources into creating meaningful and lasting change, making a tangible difference worldwide through innovative and impactful solutions. I'm committed to harnessing this unique opportunity to drive forward initiatives that have a significant and positive influence on communities globally. "
Emuna Rouhani
Engineering Operations Research and Information Engineering
"I hope to learn about the different opportunities that having a career in startup will offer and how a non traditional work schedule will benefit me and my life goals."
Krupa Sekhar
Computer Science
"I hope to gain an understanding of sustainable architecture in the startup sphere, learn from and be inspired by my fellow cohort, and expand my skillset and perspective to improve the world through my own startup in the future."
Akshay Undevia
Mechanical Engineering
"I hope that being a Kessler Fellow leads me to having a deep understanding of the foundations of entrepreneurship and complex workings and growth of start-ups. I want to learn about the cutting-edge steps brave entrepreneurs are taking to change the world and build our future."
Dylan Van Bramer
Computer Science
"The Kessler Fellows Program will allow me to ensure that purpose is at the core of my summer experience, allowing me flexibility in where I work, the skills I hone, and the ability to make real change at a dynamic company."
Matthew Wong
Information Science, Systems, and Technology
As a Kessler Fellow, I aim to gain practical experience and mentorship in entrepreneurship, develop a deeper understanding of innovative business strategies, and apply Cornell's academic knowledge to real-world challenges, ultimately shaping my career path that blends technological innovation with impactful business leadership."
Anna Ying
Government and Information Science
"I’m excited to cultivate new skills and tackle real-world problems, putting entrepreneurship into practice through a summer venture."