This summer, we welcomed our second class of MBA Fellows: Andy Wang (Columbia Business School), Sarah Quettawala (The Wharton School), John Syme (Kellogg School of Management), and Lindsey Aronson (Ross School of Business). Each came from a different background, corporate venture, consulting, startup operations, and founding, but all shared the same curiosity and drive to learn by doing.

At 53 Stations, fellows don’t sit on the sidelines. They source and work on live deals, contribute to active theses, and join the same founder and operator conversations as our investors. It is a front row seat to how conviction gets built, combining deep research with blunt feedback from customers and executives who have scaled companies before.

Learning By Doing

Sarah Quettawala joined us after six years in healthcare consulting. She quickly got up to speed on construction-tech and clean energy, supporting diligence on a preconstruction platform that became a Series A investment we led. She authored an energy report that set the stage for a nuclear deal now in active review, showing how a thesis sprint can evolve into an investment decision.

John Syme, a founder-turned-healthcare consultant, expanded our healthcare market map and helped expand the 53S Healthcare Operator Network, now 35+ strong. That network gave us sharper diligence and portfolio support. John stood out for how he approached founder calls — asking smart follow-up questions, empathizing as someone who had been in their shoes, and sharing a perspective that pushed conversations forward.

Andy Wang brought experience from corporate venture and fintech. He focused on the Office of the CFO, explored how AI is reshaping enterprise workflows, and created bottom-up TAM models to clarify where durable opportunities exist. He also contributed to two investment memos that advanced to partner vote, showing how fellows here don’t just observe investment processes but actively participate.

Lindsey Aronson drew on her operator background in communications to strengthen our platform. She built reporting templates we now use to track theses and diligence work, supported content and events, and improved how we communicate with both founders and investors. Her work created a structure that the team will lean on long after the fellowship ended.

A Unique Window Into Venture

The fellowship is not just about building skills; it is about experiencing how venture works at its best. This year’s class had a front row seat to one of the year’s biggest AI deals, joining founder and customer calls that showed how conviction is built in fast-moving markets. They saw how TPO’s portfolio insights and long-term perspective inform our investing. They watched our operator network deliver unvarnished feedback that cut through noise. And they experienced a culture where everyone, from associates to partners, took the time to share how they think about investing.

What Makes a Great Fellow

The fellows who thrived here were curious, resourceful, and quick to turn research into action. They weren’t afraid to ask hard questions or share their point of view, even in partner meetings. Most importantly, they carried founder empathy into every conversation.

As Sarah reflected: “When we do diligence, a huge part of that process is having those customer calls… to understand the actual practicality or usability of whatever we are looking into — and who better to learn from than someone who uses a product or works in an industry every day.”

As Andy added, “Always be a student at heart. When you are in this role, meeting innovative founders and breakthrough technologies is the norm. Always be willing to challenge your assumptions about the everyday.”

Looking Ahead

We’re proud of what Andy, Sarah, John, and Lindsey accomplished this summer, and grateful for the perspective and energy they brought to the work. Their contributions left a mark that will carry through in how we support founders and how we invest.

Applications for the 2026 Summer MBA Fellowship are now open and being accepted on a rolling basis through December 1, 2025. Submit your application here, and follow us on LinkedIn for updates.

If you are looking for a fellowship where you will work on real deals, engage directly with founders and operators, and learn from a team that values depth over volume, we would love to hear from you.