The new BOSS Experience flourished in many fruitful and surprising ways.
So says founder Tim Scales, who completely flipped the 3-year-old program’s focus away from new college graduates to high-school seniors and graduates.
The 12-student entrepreneurial immersion course drew two students apiece from six high schools in Wayne County. It didn’t matter whether the students were planning to major in business, education, nursing, psychology or something else. It only mattered that they were willing to take part for five days, from June 10-14.
Everything came together perfectly, Scales said.
Perfect size. Perfect attitudes. Perfect attendance.
“It was sensational. The week went by so fast,” said Scales, who is director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at Indiana University East. “The students were so amazing to work with.”
The feelings are obviously mutual: Five of the participating students already planned to attend IU East, Scales said:
“Now, 11 of them do.”
That’s nearly 92 percent.
“Tim cares for every student on campus,” said Maggie Retherford, a new graduate from Hagerstown. “He knows business can help everybody.”
The success made Scales change his mind about adding more students to future courses. He now believes that 12 is the perfect number:
“I would rather have quality than numbers.”
All 12 were new graduates or incoming seniors from Centerville, Lincoln, Hagerstown, Northeastern, Richmond and Seton Catholic high schools in Wayne County.
This year’s BOSS Experience was funded by the School of Business and a private donor.
BOSS is an acronym for Business Opportunities for Self Starters, a program that Scales started 18 years ago at IU East.
Each participant earned a $500 stipend.
Many had their doubts about the BOSS Experience coming into the first day.
“Most people weren’t sure what to expect,” said Gunnar Newton, a senior at Lincoln High School in Cambridge City, who plans to pursue a business degree with a minor in entrepreneurship.
Scales helped break the ice on the first morning by organizing a ping-pong tournament.
“That helped us loosen up and have fun,” Newton said. “We all got to know each other. It brought us together.”
Retherford was uncertain how the course could apply to her upcoming studies at IU East in elementary education – and why it was worth a good stipend.
“I literally asked, ‘Why are you paying so much?’ He said he believes in this program.”
She soon realized the course could help in her daily life.
The students traveled around Wayne County and stopped to visit with entrepreneurs at their businesses. The stops included Paint the Towne, DOT Foods, B&F Plastics and Sweet Blessings.
The students created business models of their own while they ate lunch at locally-owned restaurants such as No. 9 Grill, El Bronco, Downtown Deli, Olde Richmond Inn and Subway.
They came back to IU East during the afternoons and designed marketing materials for the businesses they dreamed up.
Scales also integrated the students into an episode of In Your Business at the Whitewater Community Television studio. He interviewed Lynette Kircher, a Subway franchise owner who also answered questions from students.
“I think it was a really great experience,” said Jacob George, an incoming senior at Richmond High School.
Grant Shafer of Hagerstown said he was impressed with the visits to businesses:
“I really enjoyed how relaxed it was to be able to go and explore businesses and understand how they
work.”
Shafer is planning to major in informatics.
He was particularly impressed by the atmosphere at DOT Foods.
“It’s a large company, yet employees are still grounded. They are like family to each other,” Shafer said.
The 12 students also visited with two entities that focus on economic development – the Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County and the Indiana Small Business Development Center. Both have offices in Richmond.
“It truly was a celebration of our county,” said Scales, who promotes the motto Buy local, Study local, Stay local.
“Everywhere we went it was just amazing,” he said. “It shows that doors are open for partnerships between community and campus.”
George said he particularly “enjoyed hearing from the EDC and touring the businesses.”
He aims to study Finance and Analytics at IU East.
He said the students quickly focused on their projects and brochures.
“We were coming up with ideas early in the week. We had resources available,” he said. “They all came out very good and got done (two hours) ahead of time.”
Three IU East students served as group leaders and earned $750 stipends.
Retherford said any young student could benefit from the BOSS Experience.
“You will learn about the businesses in the communities you’re in… You will learn about things that affect you.”
Shafer and Newton say the course is well worth taking.
“We would have done it even if we didn’t get paid,” Shafer said – and Newton agreed.