Fifty Indiana high school students from 22 counties will attend the sixth annual Purdue Research Park Entrepreneurship Academy June 24-29 at Purdue University's West Lafayette campus.
The Purdue Research Park Entrepreneurship Academy introduces high school students to the world of entrepreneurship during the weeklong program. Students are guided by local business leaders and Purdue Research Park experts, and they also experience campus life at a leading research university.
During the academy, students test the viability of a business idea, identify capital needs and devise a management plan. It is based on a methodology called "So what? who cares? why you?®" developed by Wendy Kennedy, a technology industry executive, professor and author. For the sixth consecutive year, Kennedy will teach the methodology to the students.
The event culminates with a business plan competition during which teams will present their capital needs and management plans to a panel of judges. Members of the winning team will receive tuition vouchers that are accepted at all Purdue University campuses. Officials at Purdue University's Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation program will waive one course requirement for all attendees who complete the academy.
"A goal of the Purdue Research Park Entrepreneurship Academy is to foster entrepreneurship in young people, and our research shows that students who have graduated from the academy have a greater interest and desire to start their own company," said Joseph B. Hornett, senior vice president, treasurer and COO of the Purdue Research Foundation, which manages the academy. "The interest in the program has grown so much that we will be offering the program to other sites around the state including South Bend and Indianapolis."
The 2012 Academy attendees are listed below:
CITY - ZIP - FIRST NAME - LAST NAME - SCHOOL
Angola - 46703 - Brock - MACKNICK - Angola High School
Angola - 46703 - Adam - WORTHINGTON - Angola High School
Bloomington - 47401 - Connor - CROWLEY - Bloomington High School South
Bourbon - 46504 - Dean - HOWDESHELL - Triton High School
Camby - 46113 - Anna - SCOTT - Decatur Discovery Academy
Carmel - 46032 - Yanying - CHEN - Carmel High School
Carmel - 46033 - Lisa - CAMPBELL - Carmel High School
Carmel - 46033 - Nick - GALLINA - St. Theodore Guerin High School
Carmel - 46033 - Jacob - THIENEMAN - St. Theodore Guerin High School
Columbus - 47201 - Ernest - XI - Columbus North High School
Elnora - 47527 - Zach - BAKER - North Daviess High School
Etna Green - 46524 - Taylor - HATFIELD - Triton High School
Evansville - 47714 - Julia - RUSSO - Signature School
Fishers - 46037 - Jeron - BRAXTON - Hamilton Southeastern High School
Fishers - 46038 - Davis - ARICK - Fishers High School
Fishers - 46038 - Daniel - KOWALSKI - St. Theodore Guerin High School
Fowler - 47944 - Josh - BUDREAU - Benton Central High School
Geneva - 46740 - Alexis - FORD - South Adams High School
Granger - 46530 - Marilyn - PREUSS - Trinity School at Greenlawn
Granger - 46530 - Adrian - WHITE - Penn High School
Greenwood - 46143 - Ashleigh - GILL - Whiteland Community High School
Indianapolis - 46205 - Traver - CLIFFORD - North Central High School
Indianapolis - 46221 - Amy - CARPENTER - Decatur Discovery Academy
Indianapolis - 46250 - Scott - AHEARN - Lawrence Central High School
Indianapolis - 46256 - Samuel - KANE - Heritage Christian School
Indianapolis - 46259 - Sarah - BRACKETT - Franklin Central High School
Indianapolis - 46259 - David - HON III - Roncalli High School
Merrillville - 46410 - Marissa - TAYLOR - Merrillville High School
Michigan City - 46360 - William - CONNELLY - Marquette Catholic High School
Monrovia - 46157 - Brayton - SKINNER - Monrovia High School
Mooresville - 46158 - Jared - SMITH - Monrovia High School
Munster - 46321 - Joseph - YUREK - Munster High School
Nappanee - 46550 - Adrian - CHUPP - Triton High School
Newburgh - 47630 - Nathaniel - GRUDZINSKI - Castle High School
Noblesville - 46062 - Nora - SEGO - St. Theodore Guerin High School
Osgood - 47037 - Erin - FLINT - Jac-Cen-Del High School
Otterbein - 47970 - Cooper - CUMMINS - Benton Central High School
Oxford - 47971 - Brandon - GRAY - Benton Central High School
Salem - 47167 - Autumn - GIBSON - Salem High School
Salem - 47167 - Jonathon - JONES - Salem High School
Sharpsville - 46068 - Caleb - COPP - Taylor High School
Union City - 47390 - Brittany - SIGLER - Union City Community High School
Valparaiso - 46383 - A.J. - GUENTHER JR. - Washington Township High School
Valparaiso - 46385 - Jacqueline - RUCHTI - Wheeler High School
Washington - 47501 - Andrea - ONYETT - Washington Catholic High School
West Lafayette - 47906 - Gunther - BALENSIEFER - Benton Central High School
West Lafayette - 47906 - Brianna - BARTROM - Faith Christian School
West Lafayette - 47906 - Jacob - SNYDER - Harrison High School
Westfield - 46062 - Pooja - PATEL - Westfield High School
Westfield - 46074 - Jake - CRUSE - Westfield High School
Tim Peoples, director of the Purdue Research Park Entrepreneurship Academy, said sponsors are being sought for the 2012 event. Current sponsors include Accent on Business; AMIPurdue (Alfred Mann Institute for Biomedical Development at Purdue University); CSO Architects; Bill DeFouw Chevrolet; Frontier Communications; Great Harvest Bread Company; Indiana Small Business Development Center; Katz, Sapper & Miller; Purdue Federal Credit Union; Purdue Research Foundation; Sign Art Etc.; and Stuart & Branigin.