Most students have probably heard of the company Chegg around campus, but may not know exactly what they are all about. Based in Santa Clara, California, Chegg.com specializes in online textbook rentals, homework-help, online tutoring, scholarships and internship matching — all awesome resources for college students like us! Want to know something even better? The CEO of Chegg, Dan Rosensweig, graduated from Hobart College in 1983!
Dan Rosensweig was a Political Science major and a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity when he attended Hobart and William Smith, studying abroad in London during his four years here. As an alumni of the Colleges, he has given back countless times to our school. You might stop and recognize his name the next time you are on the first floor of the library. One of his most significant contributions to students is named in his honor, The Rosensweig Learning Commons, which is the space that includes multiple computers for students’ use, the IT desk, as well as the Library Resource Center, and the Center for Teaching and Learning.
Recently Chegg announced Chegg Tutors: VIP Edition, a new opportunity to provide learning experiences for students outside of the typical classroom. This program connects students with celebrities who are committed to allowing students everywhere to have educational opportunities outside of the traditional classroom. Although applications for Chegg Tutors: VIP Edition are no longer available, we could not help but share with all of you the amazing participating entertainers, athletes, business and political leaders that are celebrating learning in a new way.
The first round of Chegg Tutors: VIP Edition will include nine talented and famous actors for students to spend an online individual 15-30 minute tutoring session with. These celebrities include:
- Ashton Kutcher (Actor/Entrepreneur): Ashton will discuss entrepreneurship and his experience as a tech investor, sharing lessons from his business ventures; alternatively, he can tutor a student on breaking into the film industry as an actor or producer.
- Dr. Condoleezza Rice (former U.S. Secretary of State, currently a professor at Stanford University): Dr. Rice will share lessons and insights on political science and international relations and security, drawing upon her years spent carrying out the United States’ foreign policies around the world.
- General Colin Powell (Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and US Secretary of State): General Powell will draw from his long experience in the military and on the world stage to share lessons learned with students interested in international issues.
- Ivanka Trump (Executive VP of Development and Acquisitions, Trump Organization & Founder, Ivanka Trump Collection): Ivanka will draw upon her executive experience at the Trump Organization, as well as her experience launching her eponymous fashion line, to share business advice, lessons in entrepreneurship, and the inspiration that led her to create her own brand and oversee a real estate empire.
- Jerry Yang (entrepreneur/AME Cloud Ventures, co-founder Yahoo!): Jerry will discuss his experience building a company in the early days of the Internet and share advice for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to secure funding and build Silicon Valley’s next great tech company.
- Zach Ertz (NFL tight end for the Philadelphia Eagles, former Stanford All-American): Zach will share advice and lessons learned over the course of his athletic career that have led to his success as an All-American at Stanford and in the NFL. He can also tutor on business management as he has a degree from Stanford in management science & engineering.
- Kelley O’Hara (US Women’s National Soccer team, 2015 World Cup Champion & 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist. Former Stanford All-American): As a former student-athlete at Stanford who has excelled both on and off the field, Kelly will draw upon her science, technology and society degree with an emphasis in environmental engineering and product design to tutor a student with interest in this field or exceeding as a collegiate athlete.
- Ryan Lewis (Music Producer/Video Director): With their latest single “Downtown” debuting at number 30 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs after only two days of sales, Ryan is part of an unstoppable record making duo with Macklemore and can share valuable insights into the world of music production and video directing.
- Shawn Mendes (TIME Magazine’s “Most Influential Teens of 2014,” Billboard’s “Music’s First Vine Star”): As a Teen Choice Awards winner, Shawn can share his advice on learning to play a new instrument and channeling creativity into music; additionally, he can share his views on physical fitness and how it has helped him achieve a healthy and balanced life.
This list of celebrities and their topic focus, courtesy of Chegg, offer incredible opportunities for some lucky students! While we are super disappointed we missed out on the opportunity to learn from ever dreamy Ashton Kutcher, and ask for some tips from Ivanka Trump on how to clean out our closets, while receiving some incredible entrepreneurial tips on the way, we thought we would share what our very own alumni has helped launch, with hopes that you will able to participate in the future!
“Some of the most important and famous people in our culture have chosen to donate their time to tutor a student because, along with Chegg, they believe that high-quality and affordable online tutoring can democratize access to academic success,” said Dan Rosensweig, CEO Chegg. “At the same time, we also continue our tradition of bringing students unique and one-of-a-kind experiences that can’t be found anywhere else. It’s not everyday you have an opportunity to get tutored by someone like General Powell, Dr. Rice, Ivanka Trump or Ashton Kutcher among others, and we can’t wait to hear from students about how these sessions shape their thinking and impact their studies.”
Congratulations to alum Dan Rosensweig ’83 and everyone else at Chegg for such an awesome campaign to give all students the best possibility to engage themselves in education, no matter where they may be!
To learn more about Chegg’s ongoing work helping brands and celebrities connect with students through unique experiences, visit http://play.chegg.com/