As a member of the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics’ Class of 2021, April Singleton, an entrepreneurship major with a minor in social entrepreneurship from Dover, Delaware has not had the typical final year or commencement at UD due to the coronavirus pandemic. Singleton, and her entire class, have shown incredible resilience, maturity and spirit while adjusting to the many unexpected changes that they have encountered.
Singleton was nominated for this series by UD Senior Instructor of Entrepreneurship Vince DiFelice, who said, “April is a co-founder of the social venture EQuip. EQuip is a revenue-generating non-profit that aims to uplift high school social advocates through programming, mentorship and community networks. A year-long experience with self driven social change, entrepreneurial mindset and instill emotional intelligence. Her work focuses on social ventures that empower and engage youth in underserved communities to develop stronger foundations for success by expanding their social and emotional learning. I have hired many people and partnered with many startups. Bottom line, my filter is simple–is this person, intelligent, credible, and humble? Can this person create value in the best interest of others? (Which demands a desire for challenge, autonomy, and reward, not financial reward, but reward associated with the betterment of others.) These people deliver the remarkable, the unbelievable, the astonishing. That’s April!”
In this profile, Singleton shared her favorite UD memories, how she has changed during her time at UD and her plans following graduation.
Lerner: How do you think you have changed from your first semester at UD to now?
Singleton: I’ve become more comfortable with who I am and gained the ability to take risks to further my passions. I’ve leaned into my fears of failure and embraced the growth I’d get from taking scary opportunities.
Lerner: What is your favorite place at UD?
Singleton: My favorite place is the Venture Development Center, home of Horn Entrepreneurship! Not only is it an awesome place to work and hang out, but it fosters a tight-knit community of people that support and care about you.
Lerner: What is the most memorable course that you took at Lerner?
Singleton: My most memorable class was LEAD253 with Tony Middlebrooks, where we got to reflect deeply on our leadership style. I learned so many things about myself and we dispelled many myths about what the “ideal” leader is – the secret answer? It depends on who you are and who you want to influence.
Lerner: What was your favorite signature UD experience?
Singleton: I loved the silent discos that we had! I went my freshman year and my senior year, and it felt like a fun, carefree way to wrap up my college experience.
Lerner: What does being a “Lifelong Lerner” mean to you?
Singleton: Being a Lifelong Lerner means being open to new experiences and incorporating those lessons into future endeavors. It is a cycle of learning and applying the learning, but the beauty of it all is that you’ll never stop growing.
Lerner: What are your plans following graduation?
Singleton: I will be working virtually for three different organizations in program development as an independent contractor. I’m embracing the entrepreneur life as I jet off to the West Coast!