Entrepreneurial Society Founders Launch Admissions Startup
If you recall the second semester of your senior year as a time of relaxation, think again. Seniors Alex Alessi ’15, Jack DeFuria ’15, and Dennis Mazurkiewicz ’15 are redefining the senior spring with their energy and drive.
Alessi and DeFuria, founders of Xavier’s Entrepreneurial Society, recently partnered with Mazurkiewicz, a member of the group, to build Cracked Admissions, a website meant to engage students about college applications. They designed the site from scratch after designing the concept as a mock business idea for the student group.
“We found while applying to schools that many college admissions informational websites are mundane and uninteresting, so we wanted to create a website that was as appealing as Buzzfeed but with relevant information that can help guide students,” said DeFuria, who will attend the George Washington University this fall. “We want Cracked Admissions to grow into the go-to resource for high school students to learn about college admissions.”
Cracked Admissions features short, conversational articles that focus on choosing a major, tips for applying, paying for college, and life on campus. “We also are creating refined profiles on colleges that answer what we think are the 15 most essential questions to answer about a school. In addition, we’ve created a library of resources that students can use while applying, including a guide to typical college admissions interview questions and a chart to keep track of all of the components of a college application,” DeFuria said.
In addition to guiding their web startup, DeFuria and Alessi are committed to building the Entrepreneurial Society during their final months on 16th Street. The group, which is open to all students, has already hosted John Meditz ’66, chairman of the Xavier Board of Trustees; Mike Nicholson P ’14 ’16, chief financial officer, Ann Taylor and LOFT Stores; Claus Pramer P ’14 ’17, head of South American commodities and derivatives trading, Bank of America Merrill Lynch; Kenneth D. Anderson, founder, Anderson Pacific Corporation; and April Walker, streetwear fashion pioneer and brand consultant.
Now, DeFuria and Alessi are working with club moderator Mike Mulé '04 and Director of Alumni Relations James Cappabianca ’05 to build a first-rate student internship program that serves as a model for other independent schools.
“We had a tremendous response from our survey of the student body and are excited to get going with this,” DeFuria said. “Right now, we'd ideally like to target companies and organizations in business, technology, engineering and architecture, politics and government, but really we're open to any alums who are interested in hosting a student this summer.”
Alumni interested in hosting a student intern should email Mr. Cappabianca. To learn more about the Entrepreneurial Society, visit the club’s website.
Photo Credit: Luke Meagher '15