Beyond the venture creation and the learning by doing, I believe we have created a community. The alumni community of now 425 strong, which when tied into the global ZGEN (Zell Global Entrepreneurship Network with our sister programs, the Zell Fellows167 at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and the Zell Lurie Institute168 at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan), is a powerhouse of individual initiative and collaborative power.
To me, the alumni network, locally and with ZGEN, is the real pride and power of this program and its legacy. Being a part of this community reflects on your character and bolsters it. But it is a precious gem to be cared for with utmost care, both on a personal level and as a community. May this book serve to educate and open opportunities. May the ensuing website that will be built on the basis of this book, which will include a growing repository of case studies and an ever-updated version of the venture creation curriculum underlying the program, be an enduring legacy of both the pioneering educational vision of Professor Uriel Reichman, and the generous support and entrepreneurial vision of Sam Zell.
