"My passion for starting & growing businesses has only grown."

Alex Spiezio '19 | Start Up Major | Cognitive Science Minor | Computer Science Engineering, Business, and Africana Studies Hometown | Wall, NJ

I have had the entrepreneurial spirt, bug, whatever you want to call it, since I was very young. When I was in sixth grade, many of my classmates would give me their iPods for me to “jailbreak”. I would go home (usually with several in my pockets), perform my service, and return their upgraded devices back to them the next day. For my work, I would receive $10. I made a fair amount of change doing this, and the frequent purchasing of new models made for steady business. Since then, my passion for starting & growing businesses has only grown.

Since attending Lehigh, this passion has been clearly illustrated. From creating a brand on Amazon, to designing a social networking application, to using immersive technology to showcase the rich culture of Ghana, West Africa – Lehigh has inspired me to keep pushing myself and embrace greater challenges.

The LehighSiliconValley program was an obvious place to bring this passion for entrepreneurship, and I saw an amazing opportunity to learn from those who I seek to be like one day. After being on the trip for several days, it really has exceeded expectations. The individuals we have spoken to resonate with me to my core – speaking of entrepreneurship and articulating so clearly that which has been only a feeling for much of my life. I feel confident internalizing the wisdom these individuals are kind enough to share, and using it to make my own mark on the world.