Biographies of famous leaders often share a thread: Early on, the leader's career path was uncertain, until a big Life-Shaping Event came along.
The College of Business Administration will hold what it hopes will be a Life-Shaping Event this summer for 23 high school juniors and seniors.
UA's College of Business Administration is accredited by AACSB International. Fewer than 5 percent of the world's business schools earn the accreditation. Details.
A two-day summer program — called "A.B.O.U.T. Leadership" — will expose these college-curious students to opportunities in the professional world and in college life. The students will tour the J.M. Smucker Co. and FedEx Custom Critical, practice their lunch etiquette at Bricco, participate in various leadership trainings and discussions, and even take in an Akron Aeros baseball game.
In between, the students will learn about potential careers from faculty members, successful business pros, and student interns. They'll also make ice cream, sleep overnight in UA's award winning residence halls, and ideally, make lifelong friends.
Undergraduate student leaders from the college's Institute for Leadership Advancement will design, deliver and lead this peer-based experience.
Chance to explore
"We understand that some students choose majors because they are uncertain of what their options are," said Kevin Smith, the college's director of the Institute for Leadership Advancement, an institute made possible through the generous funding from The J.M. Smucker Company.
"The summer A.B.O.U.T. Leadership program is an ideal environment to meet real students, real faculty and real leaders," Smith added. "The students will have opportunities to meet and hear from business executives, they'll learn what it's like to work professionally, and they'll enjoy some of the lighter activities we have planned, too."
A generous grant from the Mary S. and David C. Corbin Foundation of Akron is supporting the program.
Dates are June 27-28. Applications will be accepted until May 15 and will be considered on a first-come basis. High school juniors and seniors are encouraged to apply. Students do not have to be committed to a major or minor in business to attend. The only requirement is that the student applicants are enthusiastic about the opportunities that await them in college.
