USC Marshall has named ANTHONY BORQUEZ, professor of the practice in entrepreneurship, and JAMES HEALY, an adjunct professor of finance and business economics and President of DIGITAL DISBURSEMENTS, as co-directors of the VANECK DIGITAL ASSETS INITIATIVE (VEDAI).

“The VanEck Digital Assets Initiative has opened the floodgates for innovative and creative thinking around blockchain and web3 developments, and James and Anthony are uniquely positioned to guide and grow the vision,” said Marshall DEAN GEOFF GARRETT. “Both have deep networks and experience – James on the finance side and Anthony in gaming – that complement each other. Both also teach popular classes on these topics.”

“Their leadership will ensure that Marshall becomes a hub of research, networking and innovation in Los Angeles and beyond,” he continued. “Thinking about the exciting possibilities in front of us, I must again thank the Van Eck family for their visionary support that made this possible.”

Both professors expressed their gratitude for the gift as well.

“I’m so excited about this initiative because we’re able to build a program that will benefit students, faculty, and the industry at large,” said Borquez. “It gives us the opportunity to create an innovative curriculum and bring on strategic partners to provide a world-class, second-to-none education for our students.”

An example of new curriculum is a class Borquez is teaching this semester called Digital Playbook for Entrepreneurs: Creating a Blockchain/Web3 Startup. “It’s packed, and the enthusiasm is off the charts. We’re bringing in established speakers from the industry, helping mentor students as they build their Web3 companies. It’s exciting.”

The Initiative’s vision goes beyond new classes. “Our goal is to become a leading hub for the digital assets and blockchain ecosystem by connecting students, builders, investors, the Southern California Community, and beyond,” said Healy.

VEDAI was launched one year ago, when MARSHALL ANNOUNCED A $5 MILLION GIFT from VAN ECK ASSOCIATES. The initiative will support innovating new courses for undergraduates and graduate students, applied research and industry partnerships. It sponsored the first SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BLOCKCHAIN CONFERENCE in the fall, which drew more than 1,500 attendees from across the country for an unrivaled opportunity to hear from industry experts and participate in hands-on workshops aimed at equipping talented students with the tools needed to build the future of blockchain.

“We are thrilled by our momentum,” said Healy. “Considering USC is the #2 producer of computer and information Science degrees in the U.S. and the STUDENT BLOCKCHAIN CLUB has nearly 1,000 community members, the energy around Web3 at USC is spectacular. The VanEck Digital Assets Initiative positions the Marshall School at the center of it.”