Events
First Wednesdays
Join us each month as business leaders come to campus to share their insights and expertise. A light breakfast will be provided. Come to network and learn!
First Wednesday events are held in the Snyder Academic Center Multi-Flex Theater on the Indiana Tech campus, 1600 E. Washington Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN 46803. First Wednesday events are sponsored by Indiana Tech’s Center for Executive Leadership & Entrepreneurship.
Fall 2026
Discover how to build community wherever your career takes you. This panel will share practical ways to build relationships, get involved, and make an impact at home. Learn how civic engagement can grow your network, strengthen your leadership skills, and open doors—personally and professionally. Leave inspired to make community involvement part of the career and life you want.
Speakers
Nicolle Campbell
Director of Sales
Visit Fort Wayne
Kristin Conley
Director of Doctoral Admissions, Indiana Tech
YLNI Board President
Austin Smogor
Client Executive, Hylant
YLNI Member
Emily Stuck
Director of Visitor & Partner Services
Visit Fort Wayne
Jaylon Smith is a Fort Wayne native, former NFL linebacker, entrepreneur, investor, coach, and community leader whose career reflects discipline, vision, and a commitment to creating opportunities for others. A standout athlete at Bishop Luers High School and the University of Notre Dame, Smith went on to play professionally with the Dallas Cowboys and other NFL teams while earning recognition for both his leadership on the field and his service beyond it. Today, he continues to make an impact through coaching, business ventures, financial education, and community-focused initiatives, including the Jaylon Smith Minority Entrepreneurship Institute, all guided by his “Clear Eye View” philosophy of focus, purpose, and possibility.