For students at D'Amore-McKim School of Business, learning doesn't just happen in the classroom; it flourishes at the intersection of coursework, co-ops, and global opportunities. Last semester, two BSBA Finance majors, Rich Zou, DMSB'27, and Ananda Boateng, DMSB'25, exemplified D'Amore-McKim's entrepreneurial spirit and global mindset by attending pivotal industry conferences that underscored the transformative power of technology and innovation.
Pushing Boundaries at TechCrunch Disrupt
Meet Rich Zou, a Finance student with an unyielding passion for startups, innovation, and venture capital. When the opportunity arose to attend TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco, Zou jumped at the chance.
“I'm deeply passionate about startups and innovation, and TechCrunch Disrupt is the perfect event to experience the cutting edge of both,” says Zou.
As a campus ambassador for Perplexity at Northeastern, Zou was particularly eager to hear Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas speak. The opportunity to learn from a leader on the frontlines of entrepreneurship allowed Zou to witness firsthand how visionary founders tackle challenges and refine big ideas.
One highlight of the experience was connecting with CoffeeSpace, a startup dedicated to matching co-founders. The encounter reinforced Zou's aspiration to launch his own venture and support startups through a career in venture capital
“Meeting startup founders was the highlight for me,” Zou recalls. “Their creativity and problem-solving approaches were mind-blowing, and it felt like a masterclass in real-world innovation.”
Zou credits his time at D'Amore-McKim for giving him the confidence to make the most of these conversations: “The co-op program strengthened my networking and professional communication skills, so I was ready to engage with industry leaders and truly absorb everything TechCrunch Disrupt offered.”
Embracing Representation at AfroTech
For Ananda Boateng, her experience in Houston was a space to expand her professional skills and amplify her passion for marketing, innovation, and representation. As she puts it, AfroTech is more than just a conference; it's a vibrant community celebrating Black excellence in tech.
“I've always believed that surrounding yourself with dreamers and doers fuels your own aspirations,” Boateng explains. “AfroTech was an opportunity to soak up game-changing insights and connect with leaders who are redefining industries.”
Networking with professionals from Google, Expedia, Microsoft, and Datadog offered Boateng an inside look into how innovation drives not just products, but also organizational growth.
A standout moment was a “Visual Storytelling” talk by artist and entrepreneur Tobe Nwigwe, who urged attendees to live fully and invest deeply in their work – advice that resonated with Boateng's emphasis on authentic storytelling, a skill she honed in her Advanced Writing and Advertising and Brand Promotion classes.
“AfroTech showed me that innovation isn't just about what we build, but why we build it,” Boateng reflects. “The conference panels focused on AI, sustainability, and impact, which expanded my understanding of how creativity, data, and empathy intersect to fuel meaningful tech solutions.”
This experience also deepened Boateng's global mindset, a core value at D'Amore-McKim “AfroTech brought people together from all over the world,” Boateng says. “We shared ideas and experiences in a way that felt inclusive and genuine. It reminded me that we can learn so much from each other when we prioritize community.”
Zou and Boateng credit their experiences at the D'Amore-McKim School of Business with preparing them to excel in dynamic, high-profile environments. Through co-ops, global programs, and innovation-focused coursework, they gained practical skills and the confidence to apply them in real-world settings. From pitching ideas at TechCrunch Disrupt to networking at AfroTech, their journeys highlight the value of combining experiential learning with a global mindset to navigate and shape the future of business.