Any undergraduate student who wishes to gain hands-on venture capital investment experience and is willing to commit the time required to fully participate in the VCIP in the Fall 2025 semester is welcome to apply.

Students who participate in the VCIP will be part of an exclusive group of undergraduate students who will gain hands-on experience in venture investing and gain technical and professional skills that will translate across career paths. Students will have the opportunity to network with real companies, founders, alumni, and each other to enhance their experience and build relationships for the future. Participants will have a unique experience to include on their resumes and talk about during job interviews which can enhance their competitiveness for internship and full-time opportunities in the future.

Applications are now open for the Fall 2025 cohort. The application deadline is Monday, September 8, 2025.

Applicants may be asked to participate in a 30-min interview (virtual or in-person) with Farrell Center leadership throughout the application evaluation process.

Because the VCIP is such a unique experience and requires ongoing student engagement, professionalism, and commitment to due diligence, the selection team may wish to confirm student commitment and fit with the VCIP program through a brief discussion in addition to considering the student’s application.

We plan to notify students of their acceptance into the first VCIP cohort by mid-September 2025.

The estimated weekly time commitment per participant during the VCIP is a minimum of 2 hours combining time spent in weekly sessions and time spent separately building skills and applying learning through the due diligence process. While 2 hours is the minimum weekly commitment expectation, we encourage participants to put in the time needed to maximize the value of their experience and the thoroughness of the due diligence they perform, without negatively impacting other academic, personal, or professional obligations.

We expect students who apply to the VCIP will make their best effort to attend all sessions of the VCIP. We also expect participants to commit to performing the due diligence process of real companies seeking real investment throughout the VCIP. While we recognize students may need to miss VCIP sessions for various anticipated and unforeseen reasons, only students who attend the in-person kickoff event, 7 of 8 weekly virtual learning sessions, and the final investment pitch event will receive a badge of completion. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis. If students must miss a weekly session, we would ask for advance notice when possible.

Students who successfully complete the VCIP will receive a “Venture Capital Investment Practicum” badge of completion issued by the Farrell Center for Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship. This credential can be added to participants’ resumes and LinkedIn profiles evidencing their completion of this differentiating experience. Successful completion is defined as attending at least 7 of 8 weekly VCIP sessions, having actively contributed to the due diligence process, and having actively contributed to the final investment recommendation to the Seed Fund Investment Committee.

If you have any questions, email Michael Zaydon, Propel Seed Fund Manager & Administrator, at [email protected].

No, the VCIP is not currently offered for academic credit. This co-curricular experiential learning program will provide participants with an internship-like experience, making it an excellent resume builder while providing unique opportunities for alumni and industry participant connectivity.