By: Raymond Humienny ~Campus News Editor~

Xavier’s Entrepreneurship Club has developed a unique opportunity for high school students who aim to attend the Williams College of Business in the near future. On the weekend of May 15 to 17, the club will host the Entrepreneurship Boot Camp program in order to introduce high school students to the fundamentals of developing an idea into a successful business.

“It’s like the main event,” Entrepreneurship Club officer Peter Reuss said. “It’s kind of taken over much of what we’ve done this year, and because it’s the first year, also, for (the program). So, a lot of (the planning) has been pioneering what the program’s going to look like and then figuring out also how to make it logistically happen – which has all been done by students, while referring to faculty for help. We’ve had several visits to high schools to … encourage students to apply.”

The Entrepreneurship Club is a largely student-run organization mentored by professors Rashmi Assudani, George Gordon and Chris Welter. Club President Gali Zummar and fellow officers have played a primary role in creating a workshop environment that educates high school students interested in entrepreneurship at Xavier.

During the three-day program, students will learn how to network among fellow participants and mentors in team-building exercises. In their off-time, participants are accommodated on-campus at Bishop Fenwick Hall. At 4:30 p.m. on May 16, the program will host a trip to The Brandery in downtown Cincinnati, a startup accelerator designed to help entrepreneurs build their brand and market their design in the creative industry.

Aspiring entrepreneurs looking to begin a company receive a seed fund of $50,000 while partaking in a four-month accelerator period with The Brandery. Additional benefits include free office space for a year, legal consultation and $25,000 worth of free mentorship from renowned Cincinnati-based design firms such as Queen City Angels and Cincy Tech. “We’re taking the students there … and then having Brandery alumni come in and teach them how to pitch (their ideas),” Reuss said.

The experience focuses on exposing high school students to the creative industry, allowing them to engage with professionals in order to transform ideas into financial success. The deadline to apply for the Boot Camp was April 20.

The club aims to ensure every student interested in entrepreneurship feels welcome on Xavier’s campus. For more information about the event, visit http://www.xavier.edu/ summer/high-school-programs/ entrepreneurship-bootcamp.cfm.