LAWRENCE – The University of Kansas Business School will host its eighth annual Summer Ventures in Business program for high school students over two sessions, June 9 to 11 and July 14 to 19. The school will host about 50 students from 11 states.
The College Prep program provides high school students in grades 10, 11 and 12 who may be from underrepresented backgrounds or attending college for the first time an opportunity to explore business majors. Students gain first-hand experience with business topics, resources for applying to KU and tools to help them succeed in college. Students stay on campus and are immersed in the KU student experience. The program is free to participants.
The Class of 2024 includes students from 40 high schools in Kansas, Missouri, California, Colorado, Illinois, Georgia, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia. Participating high schools are:
Kansas
- Lawrence Free State High School in Lawrence
- Topeka High School in Topeka
- St. James Academy, Lenexa
- Maranatha Christian Academy, Shawnee
- Olathe East High School and Olathe South High School in Olathe
- Blue Valley North High School, Blue Valley Northwest High School, Blue Valley West High School, and Shawnee Mission South High School in Overland Park
- Sumner Academy of Arts and Sciences, Turner High School, and Wyandotte High School in Kansas City
- Atchison County Community High School, Effingham
- Troy High School in Troy
- Rock Creek High School, St. George
- Newton High School in Newton
- Kapaun Mount Carmel Catholic High School and Wichita Collegiate School in Wichita
- Derby High School in Derby
Missouri
- Frontier STEM High School in Kansas City, Lincoln University Preparatory School, Ruskin High School, St. Theresa Academy
- Raytown South High School, Raytown
- Lee’s Summit North High School in Lee’s Summit
- Clinton High School in Clinton
- Rockwood Summit High School in Fenton
California, Colorado, Illinois, Georgia, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia
- Downey High School, Downey, California
- DSST: Green Valley Ranch High School, Denver
- Waubonsie Valley High School, Aurora, Illinois
- Chapel Hill High School, Douglasville, Georgia
- Skyline High School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Brooklyn Friends School, Brooklyn, New York
- Chapel Hill High School, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Coppell High School, Coppell, Texas
- Garland High School, Garland, Texas
- Western Albemarle High School in Crozet, Virginia.
Students participate in college and career readiness workshops, lectures on their school majors, presentations from corporate sponsors on various industries and career options, corporate tours of Central Bank in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, social activities and a final presentation.
Featured sponsors of this year’s program include Central Bank, EMC Insurance, EY, Evergy, Hallmark, KPMG and Yetter Tax.
The first Summer Business Ventures was held in 2017 after former KU Student Body President Stephon Alcorn and Vice President Gabby Naylor, both KU Business School alumni, introduced the program at the 2016 Student Senate Union.
Learn more about Summer Ventures in Business.
