About
About Us
EXCEL N.C. —
Who we are
Excel Networking Community is a student-led organization founded in Spring 2026 at the University at Albany. Created by juniors Maya Dawkins and Daija Robinson, the organization was inspired by their shared experience of balancing successful hairstyling businesses while pursuing their academic goals. Through those experiences, they recognized a need for a community where student entrepreneurs, particularly students of color, could connect, learn from one another, and find support from peers who understood their journey.
Our mission
Our mission is to foster a community for students of color who intentionally work to balance both their academic responsibilities and entrepreneurial ambitions. Through mentorship, guidance, and intentional networking opportunities, we support students in maximizing their university experience while collectively pursuing sustainable short- and long-term success. We plan to accomplish this by building a community that reflects the nuanced experience of actively pursuing ventures while applying their skills and still striving toward academic achievement. It’s generationally a path less taken yet consistently present within the Black and Brown communities across this campus. The role of the student entrepreneur remains vital to campus life because it strengthens students’ sense of belonging and comfort, especially for POC students. There has yet to be a space dedicated to navigating this experience, leaving many feeling lost academically, professionally, and socially. We aim to bridge this gap by connecting our entrepreneurial scholars to share experiences, offer guidance and mentorship, build networks, and encourage one another to reach our shared goal of graduating with an optimized university experience.