Three School of Information Studies students will be attending a conference with some of the biggest names in entrepreneurship. Nobi Nyabonda, Cayla Dorsey, and Sophie Estep will be representing Syracuse University at the Forbes Under 30 Summit in Detroit, Michigan this year.
Forbes Under 30 Summit is an opportunity for college students with a background in business or technology to network with some of the most successful business owners in the country. Students from universities and colleges all over the country are chosen through an application process to attend the event.
The four-day summit features companies such as Microsoft and Google. The three iSchool scholars selected all have exemplary leadership roles and backgrounds in business and technology.
Nobi Nyabonda ’22
Nobi Nyabonda is a sophomore with a dual major in Information Management and Technology at the School of Information Studies and Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises at the Whitman School of Management.
She is a Whitman School student ambassador, judicial chair for Alpha Kappa Psi Business Fraternity, and Social Media chair for Regional Conference. Nyabonda said programs like Forbes Under 30 give her an opportunity to meet successful mentors.
“Without diversity and inclusion programs like Forbes Under 30, I wouldn’t have things that I’m proud of on my resume,” said Nyabonda. “I wouldn’t have opportunities to meet mentors that I might have never been in the same room with if there weren’t any diversity and inclusion programs.”
Being an international student from Johannesburg, South Africa, Nyabonda said she has to think ahead about her future. She is considering continuing her studies in graduate school and wants to have a career in business. She hopes to land a job in a company like Microsoft or Google when she graduates.
“I want to work here for eight to 10 years and then I want to go back home,” said Nyabonda. “ I want to create something for my country that will help empower people. I want to do this combining what I know in business and technology.”
Cayla Dorsey ’20
Cayla Dorsey is a senior with a dual major in Information Management and Technology at the iSchool and Public Relations at S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Dorsey said she is excited to see what Forbes Under 30 has to offer.
“I’m really excited to hopefully meet some of the CEOs of tech companies and CEOs of startups that are going to be at the summit for the tech panel,” said Dorsey. “ It’ll just be a really great opportunity to meet with so many young industry professionals.”
Dorsey is an ambassador for the Center for Social Commerce with W2O and Newhouse. She is also a Phanstiel Scholar and graduate of Wellslink Leadership Program.
Being a woman of color, Dorsey explained how diversity and inclusion is important to her.
“You don’t really see yourself or have any role models in the tech industry,” said Dorsey. “I think bringing diverse voices to speak and lead or to be pulled into spaces that they’re not normally in, gives hope to people like me. I also think it’s great that Forbes Under 30 wanted a lot of the scholars to be a diverse group.”
Dorsey said she is equally invested in both public relations and information management. She wants to enter the tech industry when she graduates.
“Ideally I would love to work in the communications aspect of a tech company,” said Dorsey. “ I want to do really innovative work and study the way we communicate on different platforms.”
Sophie Estep ’20
Sophie Estep is a senior at the iSchool and a dual major in Information Management and Technology and Public Relations at S.I Newhouse School of Public Communications. Estep said she is excited to share her experience with other students and encourage them to apply to the program in the future.
“It’s going to be really cool,” said Estep. “There’s going to be a lot of discussions having to do with women in technology, women in leadership and women in business. I think that it’s so important. To see that so many of the 30 Under 30 are women leaders, leading in the technology business, is exciting!”
Estep is director of professional development for Kappa Theta Pi, serves as an iSchool Board of Advisors student representative, and is section leader of the Syracuse University marching band. She said she looks forward to hear inspirational women talk at the panel.
“It’s just natural to have women leaders in tech now,” said Estep. “I love that the leaders on the Under 30 list are at that age where this change came about …This is normal now.”
Estep currently has a full time consulting job lined up after graduation at EY and eventually wants to get her master’s of business administration and doctorate degrees.
Feature photo, from left to right: Nobi Nyabonda, Sophie Estep, and Cayla Dorsey. Photo by Charles Wainwright.
