Juniors Megan DeFeo, Holly Habyan, and Maggie Walsh developed UNetwork, an exclusive alumni networking tool for universities designed to connect past, present, and future students.
Being an upperclassman can be an overwhelming experience when looking for a job. Luckily there are many resources available to students, including job shadow programs and mock interviews, as well as an extensive alumni network. With the use of online networking tools such as LinkedIn, students can attempt to connect with alumni, but sometimes it can take a while to receive a reply, if at all.
To assist students with the process of connecting with working professionals from their alma mater, junior Marketing majors Megan Defeo, Holly Habyan, and Maggie Walsh developed UNetwork, an exclusive alumni networking tool for universities designed to connect past, present, and future students. The genesis for the business idea originated from their personal experiences looking for internships and considering jobs after college.
“We’re about to enter a place where we’re vulnerable and don’t know where to go in our careers,” said UNetwork co-founder Megan DeFeo. “We want to make it easier for students to find alumni to connect with, and leave behind something students will find really helpful once we’ve graduated.”
UNetwork is different from social networking sites like LinkedIn because it’s a networking service exclusively for students and alumni. As co-founder Holly Habyan explained, “UNetwork is more secure and a place to engage with people you trust. It’s also set up to be more personal, and as a student or alumni, you know that people are using the service to genuinely connect with one another. For Fairfield’s UNetwork, all people using the service will have had the same Fairfield background and understand Jesuit values, which makes the service more meaningful and hopefully generates more successful connections.”
Other unique aspects of UNetwork include a two-way rating system, much like Uber. Subscribers will be rated by one another based on criteria such as response time and level of engagement. UNetwork also allows subscribers to make donations to their university, and parents of current students will be able to access the network.
To see the co-founders of UNetwork pitch at the 2018 Fairfield StartUp Showcase on April 26 at the Quick Center, be sure to save your seat at Fairfield.edu/startup .
Can’t make it to the Showcase? You can watch the action live on Facebook.
For more information about entrepreneurship opportunities at Fairfield visit .
