The Birth of a Thriving Hub for Web3 Education
In 2022, College DAO was initiated by a group of 5 college students and grew into a thriving community of over 700 Web3 builders, educators, and leaders. As the hub for Web3 and blockchain education built by and for the college-based community, we’ve made it our mission to reduce barriers to blockchain education and opportunities for college students worldwide. From hosting industry events and workshops to partnering with top universities and companies, we’ve experienced tremendous growth and success in our first chapter. But our journey is far from over — join us as we reflect on the past and embrace the exciting road ahead.
Neo Campus Tour
College DAO’s journey began with the Neo Blockchain believing in 5 college students from the University of Michigan to help host the first-ever “Decoding Web3” campus tour in the US. Led by top thought leaders in the blockchain industry, the tour traveled to esteemed universities such as Yale, Harvard, and Berkeley, sparking inspiration and education in the next generation of builders.
We reached over 200+ students from 16 different universities and were fortunate to shake hands with students making waves in this space with their projects and startups. One of our mentors, and keynote speakers from the tour, Dylan Grabowski heads the smart economy podcast. Have a listen to one of the episodes he put together after the tour. He does a brilliant job of capturing the passion in the voices of students who are pushing the boundaries of this nascent technology.
Here are a few photos of the College DAO and Neo team at different universities. We discussed topics like NFTs, DeFi, and GameFi — and hopefully helped open the door for students to engage with the blockchain in an environment that is conducive to learning and growth.
We want to formally thank the Neo blockchain for providing us with the opportunity to be part of such a big leap in web3 opportunities that were accessible to college students across the US. It was a fruitful learning experience that allowed us to get a better understanding of the blockchain ecosystems across US universities, and build the framework for our work to come in the future.
In-House Education Workshops
We launched in-house blockchain education sessions for different student groups at the University of Michigan. Our first college partnership was with the Business + Tech program at our very own Ross School of Business. Over 40 students attended our very first workshop on — “demystifying Web3” — where we provided a short primer on the blockchain ecosystem and the many features of the blockchain that makes it perfect for usage in finance, art, and gaming.
Our second in-house workshop was a cozy dinner with law students where we discussed the legal implications of blockchain technology over some wonderful baked lasagna. The different perspectives that were shared were insightful and profound — especially at a time when the web3 industry faces problems such as the FTX collapse or defining lawsuits such as the SEC vs Ripple case.
As we embark on the next chapter, we want to replicate these sessions across different universities. We achieve this through collaboration with the mini-blockchain ecosystems that are rapidly blooming in their universities. This is the most effective way to reach on-campus organizations and share our initiatives, partners, and resources with the network of students that they diligently cultivated.
The College DAO Team @DCentral Miami & Web3 Miami
It was an unforgettable experience traveling to Miami with the core team for DCentral and Web3 Miami. As we navigated through the bustling crowds and listened to giants in the field speak about the latest developments in blockchain, we couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe and excitement for the endless possibilities ahead. But what really made the trip special was the opportunity to grow and develop as a team, strengthening the bond between us and honing the soft skills that allow us to engage with industry leaders confidently.
We also had the opportunity to speak with amazing protocols and companies who provided us with advice across a variety of boards. Crowdcreate was one of these companies, and they gave us useful insights into Web3 marketing, and how we can effectively conduct community development in aBear Market. Having these conversations with established players really helped us leap out of our comfort zone and gain a more solid understanding of College DAO’s vision and mission.
Strengthening our College Networks + College DAO Singapore
Connecting with 27 different blockchain clubs on campus has been an incredible journey for College DAO. From sharing resources and best practices to collaborating on events and projects, it’s been amazing to see the growth of our network. But the excitement doesn’t stop there — we’re thrilled to announce the launch of College DAO Singapore, solidifying our place as a global hub for Web3 education.
As one of the most well-established players in the web3 scene, Singapore is the perfect location for us to continue expanding and making a difference in how education is delivered in this industry. The team can’t wait to tap into the endless potential of this dynamic ecosystem and contribute to its growth.
End of Year Christmas Event @ Empire DAO
Our final event this semester was a Christmas wrap-up at Empire DAO. We had over 300 guests, and it was an absolute blast getting to know so many people in such a relaxed and informal setting.
We want to have a big shoutout and a thank you to our Event Sponsors and Co-Hosts who made this event possible:
Sponsors:
- OKX (@okx) — one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency spot and derivatives exchanges
- zCloak (@zCloakNetwork) — a privacy-preserving computing platform empowering third-party Dapps to leverage private user proofs to provide personalized service to their users
Co-Hosts:
- Chainbase (@ChainbaseOnline) — Chainbase is a leading Web3 data infrastructure that provides open, cloud-based APIs for real-time indexed blockchain data.
- Spawn (@spawnglobal) — Spawn cultivates Web3-centric student cohorts and connects their students to blockchain opportunities and events.
- Bytetrade Lab (@BytetradeLab) — ByteTrade Lab aims to build the OS of Web 3.0, and is also actively involved in incubating and early-stage investing in Web 3.0 projects
- LinkZ DAO (@LinkZDAO) — LinkZ DAO is a Web3 community initiated by GenZs and blockchain industry OGs, to bridge Web3 builders to resources like funding, incubation, development, and joint ventures.
Setting a Course for the Moon
As always, we look forward to really scaling up our operations this year. This means 100 x events, 100 x opportunities, and 100 x ways to actively learn about and get involved in Web3.
We realize cannot do this alone! — We are 100% student-run and we want to bring more students to help us further our mission of increasing Web3 education and adoption. If YOU are a college student who is passionate about blockchain technology, we would love to help you bring Web3 opportunities to your College Campus. Please reach out to us through one of the channels below, and together, we can help more students ride this new wave of technology.
Website: https://collegedao.io/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/collegedao_hub
Telegram: https://collegedao.io/telegram
Discord: https://collegedao.io/discord
