Business Innovation Academy
Business Innovation Academy is a one-week, interactive, hands-on summer day camp for underrepresented rising 7th- and 8th-graders. Hosted on-campus, Minnesota Carlson aims to ignite students’ passion for learning and provide opportunities to explore higher education and careers in business. The purpose of this summer program is to boost students’ awareness and self-confidence, as well as improve their problem-solving and soft skills.
Program Details
Explore the exciting opportunities available through our program, designed to inspire and educate middle school students about the world of business.
Investing in Minnesota’s Future Business Leaders
Every summer, Minnesota Carlson hosts the Business Innovation Academy, where middle school students are immersed in a week of business education. Partnering with PNC Bank, Carlson curates a week of foundational business learning culminating in a case competition where students show off what they have learned. Students also have the opportunity to explore campus and meet current college students, expanding their idea of what higher education can look like.
Program Eligibility
- Middle school students who will be entering 7th or 8th grade in the next academic year
- An interest in learning about business
- This program is open to all and will center the experience of individuals from historically underrepresented identities in business, including but not limited to:
- Low socioeconomic status (qualify for free/reduced lunch)
- Black, Indigenous, or person of color, including Somali, Hmong, and/or Hispanic/Latinx/Chicanx
- Immigrant or first-generation American
- Potential first-generation college students (neither parent earned a Bachelor's degree)
- Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, two-spirit
- People with disabilities (physical or mental; for example deaf or autistic)
Program Benefits
- Experience leadership development, an introduction to business, and an age-appropriate case study.
- Exposure to higher education and career opportunities
- Develop students’ teamwork, and communication skills
- Admission to, and participation in, this program does not impact admissions to the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Schedule at a Glance
There are three week-long sessions held throughout the summer. Students admitted to the program are expected to attend the entire week of their session.
- July 24-28
- July 31-August 4
- August 7-11
| Monday | Welcome & What Is Business? | Team Building | Self-confidence and How to Build It | Intro to Case Study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | Identity and Student Agency | Leadership Workshop | Campus Tour | Business Class - Marketing |
| Wednesday | Innovation & Problem Solving | Business Class - Finance & Accounting | Case Prep Time | Carlson/Hanson Hall Self-guided Tour |
| Thursday | The Revision Process | Business Class - Presentation Skills | Fishbowl Activity | Why College? What Now? |
| Friday | Case & Final Presentation Prep | Final Presentations | Visit from the Raptor Center | UMN Bookstore Visit |
Become a BIA program partner
Some examples of past program partners that have hosted site visits or participated in the case study projects:
- Ecolab
- Medical Industry Leadership Institute (MILI)
- U.S. Bank
- EY
- Best Buy
- Land O'Lakes
Inspire the next generation of your business leaders and talent
The success of this program lies in the engagement from local businesses and business owners to provide a small amount of time and experience. By offering either a chance for a site visit or participating in our case study project, you can open the door to future business careers for these students. Past participants have consistently ranked site visits and the case study presentations as their most enjoyable and impactful experiences as part of the program.
Participate in BIA
Students who are interested in participating should contact Jeff Williams.