U-M innovators named in Forbes 30 Under 30 for student engagement platform

Three University of Michigan students, Jonah Liss (CS minor, Michigan Ross Class of 2025), Blake Mischley (CS major, Engineering Class of 2025), and Kaleb Schmottlach (CE major, Engineering Class of 2025), have been named among the Forbes 30 Under 30 in the Education category for 2025. They were recognized for their startup called MeetYourClass, an innovative platform designed to help universities better connect with incoming students and keep them engaged using the social media platforms they already know and love.

MeetYourClass originally stemmed from an idea that Blake and Jonah bounced off each other during their freshman year. Their initial project was to market a specific product to students, but they found unexpected success running Instagram pages to engage incoming students. Impressed by how much traction these pages gained, they expanded the effort to hundreds of other schools. Quickly realizing the challenge of manually managing these communities, they looped in Kaleb and fellow Wolverine Jon Millar (LSA Class of 2025) to help build tools to automate the process.

From this automated effort, MeetYourClass evolved into an entire social ecosystem. As students began uploading photos and biographies and essentially creating social profiles, the founders built additional tools such as a roommate finder, messaging function, and discussion board.

Since its inception, the focus of MeetYourClass has shifted to partnering directly with universities. “We realized that our biggest stakeholders were the universities themselves, and we could provide significant value by working directly with their enrollment departments,” said Blake. “Our goal is to engage students before they even set foot on campus, fostering a sense of community and boosting enrollment.”

Driving enrollment and community

MeetYourClass has proven to be more than just a social tool. It offers a unique blend of community building and higher education enrollment support, bridging the gap between universities and students and helping boost student engagement. 

Central to MeetYourClass’s success is the fact that it meets students where they already are. Rather than requiring students to sign up for and use an entirely new app, the platform allows universities to create verified student communities that integrate directly with students’ existing social media accounts. This seamless integration into platforms like Instagram and Facebook sets MeetYourClass apart from other student engagement tools by reducing friction and making it easier for students to engage. By leveraging this familiarity, MeetYourClass helps students find roommates, join interest-based groups, and participate in discussions, all of which contribute to fostering a stronger sense of community and belonging.

This boost in engagement is central to the team’s mission to reduce “summer melt,” a growing issue faced by higher education institutions where admitted students fail to show up on the first day of class. 

Research reveals that many college-intending students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, encounter a range of obstacles during the summer after high school graduation, from insufficient financial aid to administrative deadlines and more. These challenges can cause students to reconsider or completely abandon their college plans. According to recent statistics, summer melt rates can be as high as 10-40% depending on the institution, creating significant challenges for university enrollment management as well as economic outcomes among low-income students.

“We are helping prospective college students connect before they get to campus with the goal of building community,” Jonah explained. “By working directly within higher education and admissions departments, our goal is to help students be better connected and have the resources they need, which can positively impact enrollment and retention rates.”

Overcoming challenges and celebrating success

Building MeetYourClass from the ground up has presented numerous challenges. While the team had some prior exposure to programming in their courses, they had to quickly learn web development and how to manage a complex software project. “Web development and management were things we had to learn on the fly,” said Kaleb. “We relied heavily on online resources, coding bootcamps, and a lot of trial and error to get things right.”

In addition to these technical challenges, the MeetYourClass team had to quickly learn the ins and outs of university enrollment, student marketing, and managing a team. “As first-time founders, we had limited experience in higher education,” Blake said. “It’s been a process of building relationships, gaining knowledge, and discovering actual pain points.”

Despite these challenges, the team’s hard work and innovative approach have paid off. They have received grant funding from the University of Michigan’s Zell Lurie Institute, winning $30,000 from the Michigan Business Challenge, as well as participating in the Techstars Detroit accelerator and receiving support from Ann Arbor SPARK. 

From its initial conception just a few years ago, MeetYourClass has developed into a thriving startup with an expanding roster of full-time employees and various part-time contributors. And the platform itself has seen exponential growth since its launch. It currently boasts over 400,000 users across 1,000-plus universities, including nearly 5,000 users at U-M.

“Our vision is to work closely with universities, providing them with insights on managing and engaging students successfully.”

Blake Mischley

Now, their inclusion in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list has afforded the MeetYourClass founders recognition on an even larger scale. The Forbes 30 Under 30 list highlights young entrepreneurs, leaders, and trendsetters who are making a significant impact in their respective fields. Being included in this prestigious list is not only a testament to the MeetYourClass founders’ tangible contributions to the higher education space, but also offers new opportunities and connections that can further propel their startup forward.

“The Forbes recognition is incredibly validating and has already opened new doors for us,” said Jonah. “It provides us with credibility and connects us with industry leaders, as well as emphasizing the real-world impact our platform is making.”

The Michigan advantage

The MeetYourClass founders credit their time and experience at U-M, including the various resources and the broad, supportive Michigan community, as key factors in their success.

“The support we’ve received from the University of Michigan has been crucial,” said Kaleb. “Resources like the Zell Lurie Institute and the Center for Entrepreneurship have provided invaluable guidance and funding, and the network here has been phenomenal.”

The team also cites the vibrant and collaborative entrepreneurial community at U-M as a major benefit in developing and launching MeetYourClass. In addition to organizations such as the Zell Lurie Institute and the Center for Entrepreneurship, numerous student-led groups centered around entrepreneurship create an ecosystem that encourages and nurtures innovation.

“The entrepreneurial community here is incredibly supportive,” said Blake. “The people you meet are always willing to offer advice, mentorship, and connections, which have been invaluable as we build MeetYourClass.”

A bright future ahead

As the team looks ahead, they remain focused on continuing to build a platform that not only helps students transition to college but also evolves with them.

“We hope that in five years, we will have broken into the university market and will have an established product that continues to support incoming college students,” said Blake. “Our vision is to work closely with universities, providing them with insights on managing and engaging students successfully.”

Through these efforts, the MeetYourClass founders are set to continue making waves in higher education, exemplifying the spirit of innovation that U-M champions. Their journey is proof that with passion, dedication, and the right support, no goal is out of reach for a Wolverine.