High school students build business acumen, leadership skills at UAB’s Collat CampBIZ

Written by: Julie Senter
Media Contact: Adam Pope

More than 20 students participated in the June 10-14 camp at UAB's Collat School of Business.Birmingham-area high school students took over the halls and classrooms of the University of Alabama at BirminghamCollat School of Business recently as part of the university's inaugural CampBIZ.

The weeklong day camp, funded by a UAB Faculty Development Grant and the business school, featured active-learning workshops and sessions designed to help students improve their business acumen and prepare for the transition to college.

More than 20 students participated in the June 10-14 camp, which included workshops on communication and business research, entrepreneurship and leadership, taught by UAB business professors and some of Birmingham's top business leaders.

"Throughout the week, high schoolers had access to UAB Collat School of Business classrooms, technologies, resources and instructors," said Alicia Clavell McCall, a business communications professor at the UAB Collat School of Business and camp director. "They had the opportunity to connect and network with Birmingham business experts to actively learn, practice business basics, and build fundamental skills and career confidence."

Students were encouraged to think critically about business through fun, innovative workshops such as Business and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance with Samuel Thompson, Ph.D.; Wizarding and Superhero Leadership Academy with Annetta Dolowitz, Ph.D.; Entrepreneurship and Innovation with Patrick Murphy, Ph.D.; and The Perfect Pitch with Andreia Stechmann and Rita Stewart-Hampton.

Birmingham business experts lent their expertise to the camp. Salaam Green, Birmingham's inaugural poet laureate and UAB Medicine Artist-in-Residence; Christopher Davis, host of the "Moth Radio Hour"; and Hillary Mason, a UAB graduate student and author of the children's book "A is for Arrington," all spoke at camp sessions. Mason brought special guest Richard Arrington, Jr. to speak with students.

"The skills these students learned will contribute to successful outcomes such as high school graduation, university readiness and retention, career preparedness, university graduation, and greater connection to community," McCall said.

The workshop concluded with a capstone project and poster presentation by the students, followed by an awards banquet with family, friends and supporters.

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