Trulaske Business Academy 2016 brings high school students to campus

For nearly ten years, the Trulaske College of Business has been bringing high school students from across Missouri and the country to Cornell Hall to learn about business and to get to know Mizzou. 

The Trulaske Business Academy, part of the Trulaske College of Business Diversity & Inclusion initiative, introduces high-achieving students from under-represented minority groups to business through workshops, guest speakers and networking events.

This year, students took a tour of local business Veterans United, voted a Best Place to Work by Fortune magazine, which included a panel discussion with employees. They learned about business through a case study with follow up presentations that highlighted different aspects of the study – all showcased around the college’s academic programs.

“I’m interested in majoring in business and studying finance – this experience really reinforces that. My goal is to work on Wall Street. I see now that Mizzou will give me a leg up,” said Jeremy Townsend, a senior at Hazelwood West High School in Hazelwood, Missouri.

The week also featured a special trip to EY in Clayton, Missouri where students took a tour and heard from a panel of employees. That same day, students visited Busch Stadium where they met the head of Human Resources. The week was peppered with professional development workshops and great networking opportunities for students.

“The Trulaske Business Academy was awesome – it exceeded my expectations. We talked about many options, internships, and what we can do in the future. We went to EY and learned about the Mizzou community there,” said Tatyana Coleman, a senior at Parkway Central High School and South Tech in St. Louis City. “Everyone here is so happy and friendly. This is where I’ll go.”

For nearly a week, students reside on campus in residence halls and enjoy Mizzou’s dining halls to experience campus life. “We show students around campus so they can experience life at Mizzou. This helps them learn more about our campus and more about themselves and what they want out of college,” said Dan Nicewarner, Recruitment Coordinator for the Trulaske College of Business and the academy’s director.

For those interested in coming back to Mizzou after graduation, the Vasey Academy awaits. Established in 1997 by Roger and Sandy Vasey, the Vasey Academy provides minority students with opportunities to learn about business and the economy as well as various academic paths into the business world. Members receive additional scholarships as well as special networking opportunities and mentorship programs. Led by Daryl Smith, Assistant Teaching Professor, the Vasey Academy is a meaningful extension of the Trulaske Business Academy.

“I really enjoyed hearing from Professor Smith. He challenged us to think about what motivates us to do our best. He asked us to think about ‘What’s your Why?,’” said Kashish Gupta, who will graduate from Lafayette High School in 2019. 

Students come to Columbia from across the country to study in the Trulaske Business Academy, including five students who traveled from Immokalee High School in Immokalee, Florida. Three of those students were referred to the academy by the Guadalupe Center’s Tutor Corps Program, designed to remove barriers to higher education for local high school students. This new partnership has helped connect students from southern Florida to Mizzou – the first academy grad will come to campus to study business in 2017.

Students often share that the Trulaske Business Academy influences their decision of where and what to study in college.

“I learned a lot from the academy’s counselors. They’re students at Mizzou, and they told us about how fun it is to go here,” said Jachelle Powell, who just completed her freshman year at Raytown South High School in Kansas City. “This experience helped me realize that Mizzou is the place for me.”