The Importance of Blending Chic with Geek

Is MIT the world's most important university? Boston Magazine thinks so, and provides compelling evidence to back it up.

In an article in the November 2012 issue, the magazine lauds the Institute's tech entrepreneurship programs, successful alumni startups, and the transforming spirit of the "energetic young rebels, risk takers, and mavericks" that comprise the Institute's current students.

From Boston Magazine:

As improbable as it might seem, MIT has gone from geek to chic. "I lecture all around at different schools, like Babson, Emerson, BU, BC, Harvard, and MIT," says Brian Patrick Halligan MBA '05 and the CEO and founder of HubSpot. "And MIT kids are by far the best. They’re smart, articulate, covered in tattoos—they’re cool and hip and very different. Their clothes are edgy. And they’re all starting companies."

According to the article, tech entrepreneurship is a sought-after profession akin to law, banking, and medicine. The best way to become a successful tech entrepreneur? Go to MIT.

The Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship is labeled the hub of MIT’s entrepreneurial efforts. The article also touches on the Deshpande Center, the $100K Entrepreneurship Challenge, the Founders Skills Accelerator, and the Media Lab, which the magazine calls "a place where Thomas Edison would have felt at home, and perhaps even a little intimidated."

The article also highlights the evolving perception of the typical MIT student. Romi Kardi '14—a high-school dropout, full-time student, and part-time employee at the music label Interscope Records—is profiled. As is Ash Martin MBA '10, a software developer making breakthroughs in 3-D technology.

Martin shatters the geek stereotype, yet he feels right at home at MIT. "It's full of my people," he says, "the roll-up-your-sleeves-and-get-it-done people. This is where it's at, and where I want to be."

The article begins with some derisive comments towards Harvard—particularly its burgeoning innovation lab—but the focus on MIT's students and centers begins on the story's second page.

Has tech entrepreneurship surpassed law, medicine, and banking as the ideal career? Read the full article and share your opinion in the comments below or on Facebook.