Spring 2024 Voices and Stories

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Member Group Spotlight:
by Sophia Li ’27
YEP!
The Young Entrepreneurs Program (YEP!) is an entirely free after-school program for New
Haven high school and middle school students aimed at empowering the next generation of
changemakers. YEP! is hosted at university campuses across the globe and was
established at Yale in 2021. The program conducts biweekly sessions where students hear
from accomplished guest speakers and develop their own ventures. The culmination of
YEP! is a pitch night, during which students showcase their business ideas to a panel of
Yale University professors, students, and local entrepreneurs. Through their participation in
the program, students gain exposure to the multifaceted world of entrepreneurship and
acquire the essential skills needed to transform their ideas into reality. Ultimately, YEP!
strives to nurture the next generation of entrepreneurs while simultaneously strengthening
the bonds between universities and their local communities.
Some of Drew's fondest memories from the program come from listening to YEP!'s guest
speakers. Among them, she found the presentation by Kyle Jensen, the Associate Dean of the
Yale School of Management, to be particularly insightful. “When I think of a dean, I think about
a person that is serious and in a suit. But, Dean Jensen was very dressed-down, relatable, and
calm. He was surprisingly approachable and very helpful. He taught us about how to create a
pitch deck, which I was excited to then apply to my own business,” Drew explained. The YEP!
speaker series not only seeks to inspire and expose students to various forms of
entrepreneurship but also to humanize these roles and assist students in envisioning
themselves in such positions in the future. The program hopes that Dean Jensen’s
presentation gives Drew more confidence to interact with Yale’s faculty network, an
experience that will help her build connections moving forward.
Drew, a YEP! student ambassador, is an aspiring entrepreneur with dreams of launching
her own fashion label someday. She joined YEP! in the spring of 2023, entering the program
with little prior understanding of what entrepreneurship truly entailed. In her own words, “I
didn’t really know what the process [of being an entrepreneur] was like until YEP!.”
Additionally, as Drew said, “the reason I think
this program is important is because it shows
how welcoming Yale is to the kids in New Haven.
A lot of my classmates grew up all their lives
assuming that Yale was gated and not
accessible. It is nice for Yale to include kids and
give us the resources and opportunities that we
wouldn't have otherwise.” She also notes that
“the main thing [she] learned from YEP! is
teamwork.” Through her involvement in YEP!,
Drew has had the opportunity to work
collaboratively with her peers to address
community issues and cultivate lifelong skills
that are applicable to virtually any field she may
choose to pursue.
YEP!’s Fall Incubator was successful and the program is excited to continue its growth. The
YEP! at Yale team looks forward to inspiring students at both Yale and in New Haven for many
years to come.