I had trouble falling asleep last night as I thought about our upcoming trip to Israel.  Never having been before I am nervous about what I will find there.  Never have I had such high expectations for a place.  Friends tell me Israel is one of the most wonderful and extraordinary places they have ever been and former participants in this class rave about their experience.  I am eager to finally experience Israel in person.

In addition, our entire coursework prepared us for this trip.  We have spent the past several months learning about the different industries and what makes the economy so unique.  I am interested to have my questions answered and meet many of the characters presented in the book in person.  Not many students have the chance to interact with Ed Mlavsky and learn about how the Israel venture capital industry came to be.  The things that have led to Israel are also multidimensional.  Understanding this means learning more about government, the military, culture, finance and education.  By understanding more about Israeli success, I will learn more about all of these industries.  Lastly, the successes of Israeli technological development are ever present in my life.  An enormous number of patents that run my cellphone, computer and television were all created in Israel.  Getting to learn about the creation of these things will also better prepare me for success in school and beyond.  I will learn about what fuels creativity and how I can spot possible ideas for success.  I will also learn about overcoming adversity and persevering through challenges, which entrepreneurs must constantly do.

Dan – Class of 2016 – Olin – New York City