Trulaske Business Academy 2017 offers high school students glimpse of college life, business industries

For some high school students, summer learning opportunities at the University of Missouri are the first glimpse of college, and for others, the opportunities reaffirm a desire not only to attend college, but Mizzou, specifically. Now in its 10th year, rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors from across the U.S. experience the breadth of college preparation and learn about the opportunities available to them at the Trulaske College of Business through the Trulaske Business Academy.

St. Louis senior D’Aundre Fitzpatrick said coming to the Trulaske Business Academy further convinced him that he wants to attend Mizzou after he graduates high school. He heard about the Trulaske Business Academy through his advisor at College Bound, an organization that provides underserved high school students in the St. Louis area the resources necessary to prepare and apply for college.

“I told my advisor I wanted to work in business after college, and she told me about this program,” Fitzpatrick said. “I told my friend, ‘we’ve got an opportunity to go to Mizzou!’ We’re both here, and it’s a dream come true to be here for a week.”

Other students, like sophomores Carinna Anderskow and Tori Jessie, are just getting the college preparation process started.

“I’m really interested in Midwest colleges,” Anderskow, who is from California, said. “I was born in Ohio, so even though I live in L.A., I wanted to check out the schools out here.”

Jessie’s interest in the academy comes from her future prospects.

“I know I want to do something in business; marketing is something I really like,” she said.

This year, students participated in multiple activities, on and off campus, which taught students about life as a business college student and opportunities available to business school graduates at companies such as Veterans United Home Loans, State Farm Insurance and PricewaterhouseCoopers. On campus, students heard from several MU and Trulaske faculty and staff members and worked in teams on case study projects that culminated in a presentation at the end of the week in Bush Auditorium. For fun, students not only explored the Mizzou campus and its amenities, but also enjoyed an etiquette dinner at the Les Bourgeois Bluffftop Bistro and painting at The Canvas on Broadway.

The biggest takeaway, however, are the connections made. Both Anderskow and Jessie said they most enjoyed meeting other students and getting a taste of college life and residence hall living. Fitzpatrick said his biggest takeaway was learning more about the resources available to him at Mizzou.

“My biggest takeaway is knowing that my opportunities at Mizzou are endless,” he said.