Led by David Tomczyk, associate professor of entrepreneurship & strategy at the School of Business, the fast-moving academy introduced 18 ambitious teens to business planning utilizing the lean business model canvas.

“The goal is to help the students come up with an idea and then carry that idea all the way to the end, where they can then pitch their idea and feel confident about moving forward with it, even after the workshop ends,” said Tomczyk.

For Hamden, Connecticut resident Elizabeth Scott, 16, the week went by fast.

“I’ve really enjoyed it. I feel like I’ve learned a lot. You get the feel of the college experience, and getting to make a business is really fun. I didn’t come in with an idea, and now I’ve started planning an event-planning business,” said Scott.

For high schoolers coming from outside the region, like 16-year-old Grace Guambana of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the program served as a great college trial run.

"I’m interested in international business, and I know I want to go to school pretty far from home, so I was looking for colleges in other states that had good business programs for the summer,” said Guambana. “When I saw this one was a week long and in Connecticut, I knew it was perfect. I wanted to see if this was something I could handle, and if I’d like it, and I think I like it.”

Centered in the Innovation Hub at the School of Business, the young entrepreneurs fleshed out viable market concepts using analytical problem solving, hands-on ideation and collaborative research. Along the way, they honed key skills in executive leadership, strategic communication and team building.

“Every year that we’ve done this, we’ve had a couple of students who actually have carried on their ideas and launched them, and some who’ve come up with new ideas and launched those,” said Tomczyk. “We’ve also had several who have come to Quinnipiac, which is really exciting to see. The fact that they found a connection here and really enjoyed exploring everything is the key.”

Tino Vukaj, a 17-year-old high school senior from New York City, said he plans to apply to Quinnipiac and also wants to start his own business, so when he saw the Entrepreneurship Academy on Quinnipiac’s website, he signed up.

“I’ve been really interested in Quinnipiac for about a year now. I want to go to the School of Business,” said Vukaj. “I came here because I wanted to learn more about entrepreneurship and specifically what financial advice there is. I just want to get more in-depth about what I’m getting into, and I feel like Quinnipiac’s the best place to do that.”

Working alongside Tomczyk as an Entrepreneurship Academy instructor, Jake Sturrock ’23, MBA ’24 earned his bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurship and small business management. Now, he’s an adjunct professor at the School of Business.

“I’ve been working with Dave since he mentored me as a student and now as a colleague. It’s been fun to segway from being a student to helping and teaching the students,” said Sturrock. “Working with these high school kids, it’s really cool to see what they’re coming up with — especially in terms of utilizing AI. They’re using it to see where the industries are heading and to see where the business world is going, and how can they leverage their ideas to gain a competitive edge.”

Entrepreneurship Academy instructor Danielle Giglione, a visiting instructor of entrepreneurship & strategy, joined Tomczyk and Sturrock in helping students polish skills and bolster confidence, including some very imaginative challenges and activities.

“Working with these students is a lot of fun,” said Giglione. “They have a lot of cool ideas, they are very high energy and it’s just awesome to see all the lovely things they like to do.”

In one memorable challenge, student teams were tasked with building the tallest paper tower, starting with just three sheets of paper. To win extra building materials, they had to showcase a unique talent, resulting in displays of dance moves, juggling, origami, handstands and other go-to tricks.  

The second half of the session pivoted back to the day’s focus on validating business ideas.

“That means talking to actual people,” said Tomcyzk. “It’s getting them thinking about what sort of interview questions should you ask and who can you reach out to? What sort of information are you trying to get?”

In the same day, students dissected a sample survey to figure out what works and what doesn’t work. Next, they designed and organized their own surveys to include options and questions driving analytical data to support their business plans.

Attendee Alexa Ramirez, 18, of Waterbury, Connecticut, said she felt learning business model concepts and building skills like leadership and team building can help her in college, her career and her personal growth.

“I’m interested in studying business, but my parents always taught me that even if you don’t want to own a business, it’s always good to have some skills in the major so you can apply them in life,” Ramirez said. 

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