Developing Student Talent · 2026

DreamConventon

Four Leaders. Two universities. One stage. Pitch your vision to the founders who built their dreams from the ground up.

A figure on a cliff reaching toward a vast starlit sky — the chance of possibility
Date
Sunday, May 3
Time
5:00 – 9:00 PM
Location
Woulfe Alumni Hall
Scroll
26
What is Dream Convention

Where
Dreams
Come to Life

Dream Convention is a one-night leadership event that brings together the brightest entrepreneurial minds from the University of St. Thomas and the University of Minnesota.

Hear directly from four leaders who built something from nothing. Their stories, their failures, their breakthroughs. Then take the stage and pitch your own.

Real judges. Real prize money. A real shot at turning your idea into something more.

University of St. Thomas
University of Minnesota
4
Speakers
2
Universities
4
Hours of Programming
$$$
In Prize Money
May 3rd, 2026

The Night's
Programme

5:00 PM

Doors Open & Welcome

Check in and connect with students from both universities before the evening begins.

Networking + Food
5:30 PM

CEO Keynote Sessions and Dinner

Four CEOs take the stage — back to back — sharing raw, unfiltered stories of building their companies. What worked. What didn't. What they wish they knew.

Keynote Speakers
7:30 PM

Student Pitch Competition

Teams take the stage to pitch their ideas to our panel of surprise founders. 5 minutes to pitch. 3 minutes for Q&A. No mercy — just honest feedback.

Main Event
8:30 PM

Judges Deliberation & Reflection

While the judges make their decision, mingle with speakers, founders, and delve into your passions and ideas.

Networking + Food
9:00 PM

Winners Announced

The moment you've been working toward. Prize money awarded. Dreams recognized.

Awards
Hear From The Best

CEO
Speakers

Maritza Lerman-Yoes
01
Founder & Creative Director · Future Trashcan LLC
Maritza Lerman-Yoes
A culture architect who has shaped digital narratives for Tesla, Apple, and Playboy. Webby Award winner and founder of her own creative strategy firm, bridging art, technology, and brand storytelling.
Jonathan Keiser
02
AVP for AI Enablement & Innovation · University of St. Thomas
Jonathan Keiser
Chief Academic Technology Officer at UST and architect of its AI Leadership graduate program. Leading the charge on how universities integrate AI responsibly into the classroom and workforce preparation.
Cole Stevens
03
Co-Founder & Executive Director · Bridgemakers
Cole Stevens
Led a legislative campaign delivering $35M+ in economic relief for 20,000 working students. Co-founded Bridgemakers, raising $4M+ for youth leadership, and personally coached 22+ early-stage entrepreneurs to launch.
Caroline Holden
04
Tech & AI Strategist · Swift Start Go
Caroline Holden
Helped orchestrate a 9-figure acquisition when AI startup Datavolo was sold to Snowflake. Veteran of startups, VC, and media in NYC and Minneapolis with deep expertise in brand strategy, AI, and growth.

Prize
Money

🏆
First Place
$300
Grand Prize Winner
🥈
Second Place
$200
Runner-Up
🥉
Third Place
$100
Third Place Finish
The Jury

Who's
Judging You

The Founders Are a Surprise

Our panel of judges are real founders — people who have built, scaled, and sold companies. Their identities will be revealed the night of the event.

Serial Founders
Industry Leaders
Investors
Revealed May 3rd
Where It Happens

The
Venue

Woulfe Alumni Hall

University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota

📅
Friday, May 3rd, 2026
4:00 PM – 9:00 PM
📍
Woulfe Alumni Hall, University of St. Thomas
St. Paul, Minnesota
🍽
Food & Drinks Provided — Complimentary for all attendees
🎓
Open to students from University of St. Thomas and University of Minnesota
📍
Woulfe Alumni Hall
University of St. Thomas · St. Paul, MN
Limited Spots Available

Apply to
Dream Convention

This is your chance to pitch in front of real founders, learn from four CEOs, and compete for serious prize money. Fill out the form below — we'll review every application personally.