Nathan Brekke

About Nathan Brekke

I remember when I was in high school I had a tough time deciding what I wanted to major in for college. I was always interested in math and science but as I got older, I began to wonder if going the engineering route was the right thing for me. I was two years ahead in math and doing well but I also was very proficient in my writing and English classes. I felt like I was a great communicator and a creative person and didn’t necessarily want to pick a major where I would just be solving math problems all the time. I was interested in computer science and had tinkered around with it a bit but after taking AP Computer Science I knew for sure that it was what I wanted to do. I liked it because it still involves the science and technology that I grew up fascinated by but it also feels much more creative to me than any other engineering major. There are always multiple ways to solve a problem and it’s more like completing a puzzle than just doing a math problem.The other reason I was interested in computer science was because of its intrinsic relationship with entrepreneurship. It seemed like every other day there would be a story about computer science students or graduates launching a new tech startup. This is what really excited me about computer science and is where I see my skills really being put to best use. If you looked at the extracurriculars I do outside of sports I mostly have been involved in leadership and community service organizations. I enjoyed being able to lead people and coordinate programs to help our school and local community. Ultimately I want my computer science skills to be a part of a larger skillset that also involves business, entrepreneurship, and leadership which I can use to create new ideas and products.I have always wanted to see myself as a creative. If you look at my resume you will see a few things on there that probably aren’t normal for a computer science student. One of them is Matchbox Films which is a student-run independent film studio here at Syracuse I am a part of. Most recently I wrote and directed a short film for a 72-hour film contest that we held. This is a great example of me not only finding my way into a leadership role but also breaking the traditional bounds of computer science andengineering. While a lot of my peers just are in social circles with other engineering students and only participate in engineering clubs I want to experience everything college has to offer and have the opportunity to meet new people and create exciting new things.

Experience

1. Founder CEO

   Orange Innovation

   Jun 2024 — Present · Syracuse, NY, US

   Created a startup based off of a prototype I conceptualized and my team and I built during the Invent@SU engineering invention program. Have now pitched in multiple competitions and raised over in pre-seed funding.

Education

• Syracuse University College of Engineering and Computer Science

  Bachelor of Science - BS

  2022 — 2026

• Syracuse University - Martin J. Whitman School of Management

  Master of Business Administration - MBA

  2024 — 2027

• Syracuse University

  Bachelor of Science - BS

  2022 — 2026