PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] —Venture for America has returned to Brown to hold its third summer training camp, bringing with it its newest class of fellows, 105 recent college graduates eager to learn the ins and outs of entrepreneurship. The nonprofit, founded by Brown alum Andrew Yang, places fellows at early stage and start-up companies in economically challenged cities with the hope that they will stay and eventually start their own companies.

But first, fellows must complete a five-week training camp, held this year in the Granoff Center for the Creative Arts, which includes an intensive schedule of lectures and exercises by industry experts from various corporations like McKinsey, Flatiron School and Ideo.

Brown has been the host site for the training camp each summer since Venture for America was founded in 2011. This year’s class of fellows includes three Brown alumni.

“We have 20 Fellows working at startups in Providence, and Brown and the Rhode Island Foundation were two of our first supporters, so it was an obvious decision to return,” Yang said.

Upon completing the camp, fellows will head to one of 12 cities across the country to complete a two-year fellowship. This year’s fellows, the largest yet, will work in Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Las Vegas, Miami, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Providence, San Antonio and St. Louis.

Yang said each year more students choose to stay in Providence to complete their fellowships, and that factor, along with his connection to Brown, make the University an obvious place to hold the camp.

“Brown is a special place and has become part of the culture of Venture for America over the last three years. This year's class of 105 is our biggest and most passionate group yet - they can't wait to do their part to revitalize their new communities through entrepreneurship over the coming months."

For more information on Venture for America, including this year’s class of fellows, visit ventureforamerica.org.