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The Craig School of Business (CSB) at California State University, Fresno, the Institute for Developing Entrepreneurial Action (IDEA), the Coleman Foundation of Chicago, Illinois and the University Business Center at (CSB) sponsor the Annual Central Valley High School Entrepreneurial Leadership Program. Students participate on the campus of California State University, Fresno in a series of seven workshops led by university faculty, business experts, entrepreneur students, and successful entrepreneurs in the Valley.
This eight-month series of seven one-day workshops provide students with hands on knowledge for the development and implementation of a business plan. Students work in teams with other students from their high school to identify a viable business idea, test the feasibility of the business idea, determine the best way for the business to compete, identify capital needs to start the business, and devise a plan for managing the business successfully.
Students are provided with live instruction as well as with online workshops, necessary materials, and access to computer labs in the Craig School of Business to assist them in the successful completion of their business plan. At the final workshop of the program (held in Spring), completed business plans are judged by faculty and community entrepreneurs with scholarship awards provided to the teams those business plans excel and show promise for success. (During the 2000-2001 school year $5,000.00 in scholarship monies was awarded to the winning teams in the business plan competition)
All students who successfully complete the program will receive one unit of college credit from California State University, Fresno.
Workshops in the program will assist students in their entrepreneurial efforts by:
- Describing the history of entrepreneurial activity in the Central Valley
- Visiting the Central Valley Business Incubator
- Identifying characteristics of successful entrepreneurs
- Learning about business opportunities in the Central Valley
- Testing the feasibility of a business idea
- Providing sources of information and assistance
- Assisting them in the completion of a business plan
- Presenting their completed business plan
- Learning from entrepreneurs the key to their success
Workshops are hosted in the University Business Center located on the campus at California State University, Fresno. Transportation to and from the university is provided by the participating high schools. Workshops are full day events (9:30 am to 2:00 pm) enabling the students to obtain complete information about the entrepreneurial process and the writing of their business plan while on campus. Once the students leave the university campus resources (course materials, links, additional information) are available through this web site. College students majoring in Entrepreneurship will assist the teams in developing their business plan as well as mentor them in the entrepreneurial process.
Students qualified to participate in the program must have a minimum GPA of 2.0, an interest in entrepreneurial career opportunities, and a recommendation from one teacher or counselor.
Last year (1999-2000), 25 high schools from Fresno, Madera, Tulare, and Kings Counties participated in the program.
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