TAMPA, Fla. – Jason Riley, the program manager for Venture Internships at the U of A Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, was awarded a fellowship to present earlier this month at the Cooperative Education and Internship Association's annual conference in Tampa, Florida.

Riley was one of two awarded the CEIA's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Fellowship. He was selected after submitting a proposal on how he incorporated DEI into his role helping students find internships or cooperative education opportunities. The association aims to develop leaders in the fields of work-integrated learning and experiential education.

His presentation centered on applying student development theory through a DEI lens, recognizing blind spots and exploring ways to enhance engagement that fosters meaningful inclusion.

During the trip, Riley said he also garnered a better understanding of cultivating an internship program for underclassmen and learned to embed national career competencies with an entrepreneurial focus.

"Connecting with peers driving cooperative education and internship opportunities was truly inspiring," Riley said.

"Fostering this space of inclusion and belonging is something that's so important to me, and I'm just so happy that others are just as committed to this cause for all of our students as I am."

Riley has expanded OEI's Venture Internship Program (VIP) over the last two years, and the program has now provided nearly 300 students with exposure to the workings of early-stage ventures and the Northwest Arkansas entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Students in VIP receive a paid, 12-week assignment with a host organization, as well as supplemental training opportunities, cohort meetings and coaching/support from experienced mentors.

This interdisciplinary group of students, representing diverse majors from six colleges, has supported over 180 startups and support organizations since the inception of the program.

Estefania Lanz, a senior finance major and intern from the fall 2023 cohort, described VIP as the "gateway to the world of startups."

"(VIP) doesn't just provide internships; it offers a dynamic, hands-on experience where you become an integral part of a startup team, with many industries available to learn from," Lanz said. 

Lanz said she "wholeheartedly" recommends VIP, not just for the skills it provided to help her excel at her internship, but because it has helped her prepare for navigating life after college. 

"From unlocking financial success to empowering change through data storytelling and analysis, all the workshops and opportunities that this program offers have equipped me well for my future," Lanz said.  

About the U of A Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation: The Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation creates and curates innovation and entrepreneurship experiences for students across all disciplines. Through the Brewer Family Entrepreneurship Hub, McMillon Innovation Studio, Startup Village and Greenhouse at the Bentonville Collaborative, OEI provides free workshops and programs — including social and corporate innovation design teams, venture internships, competitions and startup coaching. A unit of the Sam M. Walton College of Business and Division of Economic Development, OEI also offers on-demand support for students who will be innovators within existing organizations and entrepreneurs who start something new.