A crash course in higher ed

“The intention is for this program to explode the myth that attending university is an option for a select few,” says David McKenzie, organizer of the new Young CEO Program for high-school students at the John Molson School of Business (JMSB).

This week, a group of 24 Montreal-area pupils is participating in the inaugural four-day community outreach event, which aims to create an interest in attending university among young people who may never have considered it an option.

The scheduled workshops — led by MBA student instructors under the guidance of faculty members — are designed to expose the participants to a range of business concepts and careers. 

Topics include basic business concepts, becoming an effective leader, working within a team, and finally, budgeting and managing money. Each morning session allows time for the high-school students to work together in groups, and then give presentations.

While the primary objective is to introduce them to university, it’s also an opportunity for the JMSB grad students to share what they’ve learned.

“The participants are learning management skills that are critical in today’s workplace, including developing a broad viewpoint, communicating well across all levels and taking responsibility for delivering results,” says McKenzie, who is coordinator of the MBA Community Service Initiative.

“We want to develop students’ interest in business fundamentals, while also giving them a stepping stone towards becoming tomorrow’s university student.”