13th Annual Bunshaft Lecture
Hosted by the College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering (CNSE)
Open to the public.
Monday, Oct. 26, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. | Performing Arts Center (PAC) Main Theatre
Reception at 6:30 p.m. | PAC’s Futterer Lounge
Dreams to Destinations: Building a Fulfilling Life After College from business builder Kiante Bush
About the Talk
Kiante Bush aims to help college students think beyond graduation and intentionally build a life rooted in purpose, opportunity and personal fulfillment.
Drawing from his personal journey from college student to technology and business leader, entrepreneur and community builder, Kiante will explore the importance of defining your own version of success and identifying the “why” that fuels you. Students will gain practical lessons around building relationships before they need them, failing forward, gaining leadership experience and getting into rooms that expand their exposure and opportunities.
Ultimately, Kiante will challenge students to turn their vision for life after college into intentional action and create a path that reflects who they want to become, not simply what job they want to land.
About the Speaker
Kiante is an award-winning technology leader, ecosystem builder, author and angel investor dedicated to advancing innovation and economic mobility for underserved communities.
He’s the CEO and founder of Venture for T.H.E.M., a Maryland-based startup launchpad designed to support HBCU-affiliated founders. Through the platform, he helps early-stage entrepreneurs access non-dilutive capital, VC and C-suite membership, hands-on education and curated opportunities that accelerate venture readiness and long-term sustainability.
Kiante also has actively supported the broader startup ecosystem as a mentor with Techstars, Goodie Nation and gener8tor and as a pitch coach/judge for institutions and programs such as the Wharton School, Bowie State University, NFTE and Black Girl Ventures. He began his career in corporate technology consulting and project management, supporting complex, mission-critical initiatives at companies such as Accenture, Deloitte, Booz Allen Hamilton, JPMorgan Chase and Northrup Grumman.
Kiante’s leadership and impact have been recognized nationally through honors that include Modern Day Technology Leader from BEYA, Tech Community Leader of the Year (D.C.) from Technical.ly and Top 50 Finalist and Awardee from Pharrell Williams’ Black Ambition. His work has been featured in media outlets such as Forbes, Black Enterprise, CBS News, AfroTech and REVOLT, highlighting his impact at the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship and education.
A proud graduate of Morgan State University — the National Treasure — Kiante earned a bachelor’s in transportation engineering, graduating magna cum laude in 2016, and returned to complete his MBA, graduating summa cum laude in 2022.
About the Bunshaft Lecture
Established through the generosity of Albert Bunshaft ’80 and Caryn Bunshaft ’82, The Bunshaft Endowment in the College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering supports this lecture, which is designed to provide information to the student community about a broad range of topics related to careers in computing and engineering sciences.