Meet Barnett Klane ’13

Syracuse University was Barnett Klane’s “obvious” first choice when doing his college search. “Syracuse has a perfect mix of academic, athletic, and social experiences,” says Klane, a 2013 graduate of the Martin J. Whitman School of Management. The University’s diverse student population was also a major drawing card. “Coming from suburban Massachusetts to immediately being on a (residence hall) floor with students from Dubai, Thailand, and everywhere in between was crucial for me,” he says. “I found that the majority of learning took place outside the classroom. Because of the diverse backgrounds of SU faculty and students, I gained a wider perspective and appreciation for other viewpoints.”

In addition to his marketing studies, Klane filled his college years with being a member of the University’s ski and men’s soccer teams. He also found time to create startup businesses AmplifyU.co, which supplies audio, lighting, and disc jockey equipment to college organizations, and a tech support company, MyManual.co. His work with the startups convinced him to focus his career on product design and development. Deciding he needed to learn to code, he taught himself through online resources, and now programs fulltime as co-founder of The Codery, a web development and design agency.

Student Sandbox Connections

The connections Klane made while at SU have been instrumental in helping him advance his career goals. “Syracuse University has helped me get my foot in the door for so many opportunities,” he says. “Every job or internship I’ve had since entering college has been through an SU connection.” Klane’s experience working with John Liddy G’03, director of the iSchool’s Syracuse Student Sandbox gave the young entrepreneur the knowledge to start and maintain his businesses. “The majority of people I work with are Sandbox-related,” he says. “The Sandbox network has been integral to my growth and there’s no doubt I’ll continue to collaborate with many other Sandbox alumni down the road.”

In January 2014, Klane’s career path took him to the West Coast, and he’s now a resident of the San Francisco area. “My roommates sophomore, junior, and senior years all hailed from Northern California and made it clear San Francisco was where I needed to be—it has the best tech talent,” he says. “I knew it would be the place for me to grow The Codery and expand my capabilities as a developer. There’s no doubt that going to Syracuse University has drastically changed my life.”