Faculty of ArtCan a PhD set you up for success in starting a business? Do you need an MBA to succeed in entrepreneurship? Do the humanities really have no business with business?
Studies show that only about 6% of people with doctorate degrees are self-employed, even when graduate students possess skills that highly qualify them for independent ventures.
This panel discussion will feature UBC alumni who hold graduate Arts degrees and are now pursuing entrepreneurial ventures. Panelists will share their entrepreneurial pathways after graduation and reflect on the relationship between Arts education and business, changing perceptions of entrepreneurship, and the challenges and rewards of self-employment after graduation.
October 24, 2023
5:00 PM-7:00PM Pacific Time
Buchanan Tower 227
Light refreshments will be served
Panelists:
Priya Bala-Miller (PhD, Political Science) – Founder & CEO of Palmyra Partners
Dr. Bala-Miller has worked on sustainable development for two decades across three continents, in collaboration with NGOs, UN Agencies, the private sector, academia and trade unions. Dr. Bala-Miller is a respected senior executive and strategic planner, with technical expertise on natural resource governance, sustainable finance and human rights. She holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of British Columbia. She is passionate about people, platforms and ideas that advance social justice outcomes and meaningful inclusion in the field of sustainability.
Amelia Cole (PhD, Information Science) – Senior UX Researcher with Microsoft
Amelia Cole is a Senior User Experience Researcher who straddles industry and academia. At Microsoft, she led research projects for Azure AI Studio that helped shape the way humans build solutions using AI tools. She uses a mix of desk, generative, and evaluative research methods to create actionable insights for product teams.
Eric Franzo (MA, Public Policy) – Founder of Purposely
Purposely is an employee experience platform that helps companies build strong and resilient workplace culture through employee volunteer initiatives.
Natalie Hill (MA, Gender Studies) – Principal & Co-Founder of Spur Communication
Natalie co-founded Spur Communication, a strategic communication and engagement firm, which is now experiencing over 100% growth in revenues and client roster, year over year. She completed her master’s in gender studies at UBC in 2012, after a bachelor’s in journalism from Carleton University in 2009.
Moderators:
Andrea Lloyd is entrepreneurship@UBC’s Associate Director, Engagement. As a member of the e@UBC team since 2015, Andrea brings her wide knowledge of the UBC community to support e@UBC collaborations and partnerships across campus. She manages the e@UBC Mentor Network and the internship program, which bring e@UBC entrepreneurs expert guidance and additional capacity to help accelerate their ventures.
Smruti Savkur is the Engagement Specialist at entrepreneurship@UBC. She builds partnerships across campus to democratize entrepreneurship, and supports the Mentor Network and internship program to build capacity for UBC founders.