For the second consecutive year, the College of Business Administration at Loyola Marymount University is hosting the Academy of Business Leadership’s Summer Business Institute for young people who demonstrate promise as  business leaders. 

During the intensive seven-week program, students, ages 10-18, study together in a unique program that includes writing a business plan, managing a stock portfolio and meeting with top business leaders.

The goal of the Summer Business Institute and the other programs the ABL offers is primarily to enable youth to gain exposure and hands-on experience; and to learn to take initiative and to manage people, not only operations. The concepts of hard work, responsibility, passion and giving back are stressed in the program.

Even though there are large age differences among the students, they are able to work together successfully.

 “The Institute is uniquely positioned to teach such a wide range of students because business is something that is almost never taught in middle or high schools; so, in many ways the students — whether they’re 10 or 17 — are all starting at virtually the same level,” said Kristina Stanier, this year’s instructor.

Stanier, who earned her M.B.A. from Harvard and B.A. from Stanford, said, “Business is not something that is necessarily taught, but experienced.  Everyone has been to McDonald's, everyone has had to buy goods or services, and that’s a great start for getting these students to analyze what makes businesses work.”

Response to the program has been enthusiastic.

“When I got here, I wasn’t too sure about the business aspect of the course,” said Evan Lewis, 11, from Los Angeles. “I figured leadership was applicable to so many fields and so, I thought I could learn a lot about it and I have,” said Evan, who quickly distinguished herself as a standout in this summer’s institute. “Leadership is not just telling people what to do.  It’s not about standing in the front of the line; but sometimes standing in the back of the line and encouraging those ahead of you. It’s also about taking all of their ideas into thought before making decisions that will affect everyone.”

"This institute is one of the many ways the outreach initiative of CBA, working in partnership with ABL, ensures our college continues to meet the university’s mission, ‘the encouragement of learning; and the pursuit of academic excellence,’ ” said Dennis Draper, dean for the College of Business Administration. “We’re not just growing LMU into one of the nation’s most distinguished Catholic universities, or CBA into a leading business college, but we’re also serving the surrounding neighborhoods and building a pipeline for tomorrow’s business leaders.  We’re giving them opportunities that so often escape children from underserved communities.”

“We are proud of our partnership with the Loyola Marymount University and particularly the College of Business Administration,” said Anna Ouroumian, president and CEO of the Academy of Business Leadership. “Under the leadership of Dean Draper and with the help of Professor Fred Kiesner, LMU has become one of our most successful sites. We look forward to our continued partnership.”

For more information on any of ABL programs, please visit their website at www.goabl.org or call 626-302-3650.