High School Students Learn Skills and Build Networks at LeBow's Camp Business

School may be out for the summer, but not for 123 high schoolers who attended Drexel LeBow’s Camp Business in July. Building from the momentum of being recognized by Forbes as an Innovative Business Summer Programs For High School Students earlier in the year, Camp Business saw its most competitive applicant pool this summer. With more than 300 applications, there was a 50 percent increase from the previous year with international participants from countries including Kyrgyzstan, Honduras, Germany, Brazil, China, Uganda, Mexico and Singapore.

With help from nine current Drexel students and 25 LeBow faculty and staff members, the program gave rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors an intensive introduction to both collegiate and corporate business education while showing them that business can be both fun and exciting.

“Students are able to learn more about the functional areas of business while also evaluating what areas of interest they have. Camp Business can be a game changer for high schoolers — they are elevating their resumes as they begin the college search while building skills to benefit them throughout the college search process and beyond,” said Christian Maxey, assistant director of undergraduate programs and recruitment.

Camp Business participants learn the basics of major business disciplines including accounting, marketing, finance and management, as well as the core concepts of business including leadership, professional image, etiquette, team building and strategy. Students also learn about resources essential to business such as the stock market, financial documents and technology.

But camp wasn’t all business. Students had the opportunity to explore not only Drexel’s campus with tours and scavenger hunts, but also Philadelphia, including trips to Citizens Bank Park for a Phillies game, Cira Green, Spruce Street Harbor Park, and of course, the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum, aka the Rocky Steps.

“Academics aside, students are stepping out of their comfort zones, often travelling solo for the first time to meet peers from across the world. These peers quickly become family and this week becomes a staple of their summer,” said Caitlin Brady, associate director of undergraduate programs and recruitment.

In culmination of their time at Camp Business, students researched and pitched innovative business ideas related to the needs of college students in a Shark Tank-style competition. The teams developed an informative summary of their business ideas and presented to a panel of judges and fellow campers. Two of the winning teams, Caffi Boost and Drink Safe, focused on health and safety, with Caffi Boost hoping to offer a caffeine alternative for tired college students and Drink Safe helping students ensure their beverages are safe to drink.

“Even though they are on campus for such a short time, they accomplish a ton and learn so much about themselves in the process, not to mention the lifelong friendships they build. Our team tries to combine both educational opportunities with unforgettable fun activities, and seeing our students embrace both the challenges and the joyous moments is so rewarding to watch,” said Maxey.