Carey’s Summer Business Academy helps young entrepreneurs build for what’s next

College senior Adrienne Davis wants to be a consultant in the health care business. While working part-time at Johns Hopkins Hospital, the Towson University senior learned about the Carey Business School’s Summer Business Academy, a program that provides undergraduate college students with opportunities to explore graduate-level business education and gain exposure to the latest management and leadership theory and application. For Davis, the program sounded like the perfect fit, especially given the strength of Johns Hopkins in the business of health.

“I think this [experience] definitely solidified my interest,” she said. “What I've really gotten out of this is the importance of networking.” 

The experiences and connections Davis made during the Summer Business Academy helped her land an externship with CVS, where she’ll be shadowing executives at the company.

“It will open up doors to you that you couldn't open on your own. I think that's the biggest thing.”

Spelman College junior Kai Cook hopes to start an entertainment business scouting and acquiring intellectual properties for film projects and production companies. Cook was interested in the Carey Summer Business Academy because it offered to teach essential career-building skills. 

“I definitely want to implement business logistics and know the interconnections of how we get these projects off the ground,” said Cook. “Everything that I've learned here, whether that be learning about finances for the really the first time or collaboration on projects and really executing and getting the narrative and presentation across, is definitely going to help.” 

Summer Business Academy scholars gain a unique experience and exposure to current leadership practices and models such as design thinking, case training and competitions, roundtable discussions with Carey Business School alumni, and project-based learning opportunities with regional businesses. Students benefit from one-on-one training with Carey Business School experts. The week-long academy concludes with students presenting their findings and recommendations in an actual case analysis to a panel of expert judges from regional businesses.

Tyler Shaia is interning with Transamerica’s economic scenario generation team and builds websites for other entrepreneurs. The Morgan State University sophomore wants to eventually launch his own actuarial business.

“What I got out of this program was doing the research and doing the investigating and problem solving - not only just problem-solving, but problem discovery,” Shaia said. “Being able to network with all these people that are in the place where I want to be and lets me know what it takes for me to achieve my dreams.”

Recent Hampton University graduate Robinson Davis echoed Shaia’s feelings. 

“What I've enjoyed the most is meeting people in all different walks of life and careers and seeing myself in them; learning from my peers who are often from other majors and different walks of life, learning from their experiences and learning things from their majors that I can now incorporate into my own business going forward.”