Atland Ventures provides an excellent opportunity for students to further their personal and professional goals. Fund members, no matter their interest of major, gain invaluable tangible and intangible skills, as highlighted by many of our alumni.

 

I had the pleasure of interviewing Jeffery Hu to get a better idea of the great things he went on to do after graduation, and the role that Atland played in getting him to those milestones.

Jeffery Hu 

 

Jeffery Hu graduated in 2021 with a degree in Computer Science and is currently a Software Developer for Amazon. Considering Hu was not on a business-oriented track, the skills he gained from Atland Ventures have proven beyond beneficial to him as he reflects fondly on his experience within the fund. “Atland is one of the most impactful experiences in college that you can have,” Hu said. Whether it is the ease at which he can now converse with strangers or the ability to have conviction with an open mind, Hu goes on to explain just why Atland was so impactful. 

 

One notable aspect of Atland is conversing with founders from a variety of backgrounds. Hu notes that this made him more comfortable conversing with people he had never met. More specifically, it helped him develop the ability to know what questions to ask and how to best articulate them.

 

These soft skills have proven not just advantageous in the workplace but Hu’s personal life as well. “Knowing how to have conversations with strangers allows you to connect with different types of people, which, I find in my personal life, is really helpful to make new friends and connections in a new city,” Hu said.

 

Atland Ventures is certainly an experience that one would not get from the classroom. In fact, according to Hu, Atland teaches a whole different way of thinking. Not only do the discussions amongst the fund encourage analysts to develop their own opinions, but it also pushes them to defend their assessments when challenged. That said, Hu recognizes the importance of knowing how to balance this conviction with an open mind. “Atland also helps you switch your perspective when other peoplfe provide an overwhelming amount of evidence to the contrary of what you previously had thought.” 

 

Favorite Memory: Presenting a company solo to the fund and getting bombarded with questions. Atland ended up passing the company and investing!

 

“That was probably my proudest moment and the moment of the most learning. The more you get grilled, the more you’ll come from it confident and capable.”