Celebrating the IVCA 2024 Scholars Program
July 3, 2024
We are thrilled to announce the launch of the 2024 IVCA Scholar Program, welcoming an exceptional cohort of 14 talented students. This initiative marks a significant step towards fostering diversity and inclusivity in the venture capital and private equity sectors.
Meet our 2024 Scholars!
We extend our sincere gratitude to the 14 participating firms hosting our scholars for the 10-week internship program:
- Avathon Capital
- BPOC
- Frontenac
- Growth Catalyst Partners
- OCA Ventures
- ParkerGale
- Prairie Capital
- Pritzker Private Capital
- RoundTable Healthcare Partners
- Sandbox Industries
- The Vistria Group
- Victory Park Capital
- Water Street Healthcare Partners
- Wind Point Partners
Thank you to Kirkland and Ellis LLP for hosting this year’s onboarding sessions!
A cornerstone of the IVCA Scholar Program is our comprehensive industry education sessions. We’re appreciative of our educators who have shared their expertise, passion, and insights to equip our scholars with a robust understanding of the private investing landscape:
| Jose Liberti, Northwestern Kellogg | Private Equity Investing |
| David Presser, Rob Christie, Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg | Basics of Funds |
| Dipesh Mehta, Illinois State Board of Investments | Pension Fund Investing |
| Kelsey McHugh, Kevin Enright, August Laatsch, 50 South Capital | Fund of Funds Investing |
| Dave Stricklin, IVCA Legislative Liaison | IVCA Advocacy |
| Ricardo Iriarte, Adams Street Partners – 2022 Scholar | Career Pathing |
| Ira Weiss, HPVP & Chicago Booth | Overview of Venture Investing |
| Matt Kudla, Seven Richmond, Ashtin Hara, Financial Investments Corp. | Family Office Investment Overview |
| Brandon Shirk, Adams Street Partners | Fund of Funds, Secondaries & Credit Funds |
| Paulina Zurakov, Zara Siddiqui, Amna Haris Naseem, Cooley LLP | Cap Table |
| Andrea Peterson, RW Baird, Incline Equity Partners – 2020 Scholar | Career Pathing |
About the IVCA Scholar Program: This program aims to cultivate a more diverse and inclusive industry by offering undergraduate students invaluable exposure to careers in venture capital and private equity. Open to students enrolled in Illinois colleges or universities, or Illinois residents, it provides a unique 10-week placement opportunity with leading firms in the field.
By bridging academia and industry, we’re paving the way for the next generation of diverse talent to shape the future of private investing.