"LehighSiliconValley 2019 was a life changing experience for me."

Alec Stewart '20 | FinTech

Major | Computer Science and Business

Minor | Finance Concentration

Hometown | Upper Saddle River, NJ

LehighSiliconValley 2019 was a life changing experience for me. Having the opportunity to be in the same room as these incredible founders, let alone being able to pick their brains, was invaluable. Before this program I always thought of myself as a problem solver, but not an entrepreneur. I enjoy tinkering and stumbling through puzzles, always trying different solutions.

The only difference between what I enjoy doing and what entrepreneurs do lies in the problems we are trying to solve. I am trying to solve problems given to me while entrepreneurs solve the problems they find. What I admire most about the people I have met is their passion for their work. What I realized is that this passion comes not from their love of problem solving but rather from their drive to make people’s lives better within and outside of their communities. Bill Kirsch of Costella Kirsch says it best in his belief of spending “time with your business, but also spend time with your community.” I interpreted this to mean that as important as it is to work hard as a professional, it is equally important to be involved in your community.