Camp Jumpstarts Future Business, Entrepreneurial Careers – News

Atlantic City, N.J. – “So, who in here currently owns a stock?”

Only a couple of hands were hesitantly raised in the lecture room on the Stockton University Atlantic City campus among the group of 25 rising high school juniors and seniors.

Presenter Dylan Gutowski listened closely to the students’ answers – “I think I have
stock in Starbucks!” and “I’m not sure what it’s called.” Soon, the quiet room filled
with cheering and clapping as students played a virtual stock exchange game that simulated
the high stakes and fast pace of trading in the stock market.

When the students from across New Jersey weren’t diversifying their stock portfolios,
they were exploring the campus, learning the fundamentals of business and entrepreneurship
from local business leaders, and participating in a business plan competition through
the weeklong Summer Entrepreneurship and Business Academy (SEBA).

It was through SEBA that Gutowski of Rockland, New York, developed entrepreneurial
savvy and relationship-building skills that landed him an internship with the camp
just a year after winning the business plan competition.

The 16-year-old spread awareness of the academy at high schools throughout the state
and spent the week supporting students in the business plan competition and sharing
his own experiences.

“It’s really cool to be able to help these students and kind of give back to a program
that gave so much to me,” Gutowski said. “It’s also a really diverse group; like,
some people are building websites for their plans, and others are designing logos,
or they’re doing heavy research. There are so many different talents here, and a (successful)
business needs the things that each person brings to the table. (SEBA) is a really
cool team-building experience where you get to focus on using your talents for the
bigger picture.” 

Mark Rizzo, director of the NJ Small Business Development Center at Stockton, shared the same sentiments about the students. This is the second year that Rizzo
has given a presentation to SEBA participants on the many resources available to small
businesses.

“What they’re doing here is pretty awesome – I like to see young students who want
to understand and want to learn, and if they have the willingness to do this for a
week, then I’ve got to believe that they’ve got something going on that they want
to be successful,” Rizzo said.

Students developed business plans that included a diverse production company that
uplifts Black and brown talent both in front of and behind the camera, an app that
makes lines for brick-and-mortar stores and businesses completely virtual, and a website
that uses artificial intelligence to map out one’s career journey with only a couple
of prompts.

Students Valentina Gonzalez of Lodi, Carter Chew of Egg Harbor Township and Fernando
Arias of Garfield all agreed that the camp was an excellent way for them to learn
and explore more about business.

“It’s been really useful because all the speakers are very well-rounded and they know
exactly what they’re talking about, so even if you know you want to be in business,
but you don’t know specifically what aspect, there are so many different speakers
that show you how to try and test out what you want,” Gonzalez, a student of the Academy
of Holy Angels, said. 

“I really wanted to learn more about finance, marketing and business in general because
I find it quite interesting, and it is something that I would like to pursue,” Chew
shared. “From today specifically, I really enjoyed the stock market competition and
the ‘So, You Want to Be a Marketer’ lecture. It’s been fun and extremely informative
and the connections, friendships and advice that you get along the way are extremely
valid.” 

“I really like the experience and this program a lot because I’m learning new things
that are helping me become who I want to be when I grow up,” said Arias, who is currently
deciding between pursuing certified public accounting or business and management accounting.
“It’s a good experience that shows you what college life is like.”

The students were excited to fine-tune their creations and present their ideas to
a judging panel comprised of faculty members and executives of the local business
community. The winning team will receive $500.

According to Tara Marsh, SEBA program director, the academy and competition transform
students and help them develop a business acumen that will take them far in whatever
industry they decide to pursue. 

She accomplishes this by always ensuring a balance of comfort (e.g., pairing roommates
by area so that they board with a familiar face) and challenge (e.g., intentionally
separating those students into different competition groups so that they connect and
network with others). 

“Presenters throughout the week give them different components so that they can relate
those different components into pieces of that business plan creation and see that
theoretical come into the hands-on and practical execution of it,” Marsh shared.

“I just love to watch their growth and see them blossom and come out of a shell that
they didn’t even realize they had while they’re working with their peers to create
these businesses. The amount of time, effort and passion that the students put into
these plans that they eventually want to create is immeasurable.” 

The camp is free thanks to donations by Spencer’s and Spirit Halloween and other sponsors.

– Story by Loukaia Taylor

– Photos by Susan Allen

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Camp Encourages Future High School Entrepreneurs

July 27, 2023 

Atlantic City, N.J. — Carrie Tchaplygin has always had a knack for business. The 16-year-old is on track
to earn an associate degree in business administration before she even graduates from
Lacey Township High School.

So, she was honored to be selected as one of 13 high school students from across New
Jersey to participate in Stockton University’s Summer Entrepreneurship and Business
Academy (SEBA) from July 16-22. 

And while she’s been thrilled to learn about several different aspects of business
— such as hospitality and tourism, accounting, management, computer analytics and
marketing — what’s the first thing she did when she arrived?

“I purposely moved my bed to my window so I could see the beach when I woke up,” she
said with a laugh, referring to the view from Kesselman Hall in Atlantic City, where
the students lived during the program.

SEBA is a unique summer camp focusing on entrepreneurship that hopes to give rising
high school juniors and seniors a better understanding of business, an experience
of what college is like and maybe a direction of what they want to do after high school,
said Tara Marsh, the SEBA coordinator. 

— Story by Mark Melhorn 

Continue Reading | Camp Encourages Future High School Entrepreneurs | 2023