By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
Bowling Green State University recently rolled out the orange and brown carpet to 109 high school students attending Ohio Business Week.
This was the first time the 34-year-old camp was hosted by BGSU. The weeklong program held June 18-23 gives students a chance to team up with their peers to learn the intricacies of starting a business. The students were teamed up in 11 groups to come up with product ideas, then develop the product, create a marketing plan, structure their organization, culminating in a presentation seeking “investors” in the project.
They made their presentations with faculty members but also members of the public who were given play money to invest in their favorite projects.
These ideas came from close to home.
Alyssa Swaisgood, a rising sophomore from Fairfield, said that the team of nine students she was part of developed Re-Group: Krack-it, a sensory product aimed at helping young people with autism, anxiety and ASHD in settings that induce stress for them. While waiting in a doctor’s office, sitting in a classroom, or any other stressful situation, they can turn to harmful habits such as pinching themselves or pulling their hair, Swaisgood said. Her team created a product that replaces those behaviors, so they don’t harm themselves.
Her older brother has autism, she said, and she’s watched him struggle in such situations.
All nine members of the team, had someone with autism, anxiety and ASHD, she said.
Other teams also came up with projects to address concerns close to home, whether eating a nutritional diet, financing a college education, or preventing drowning.
Cory Dippold, the executive director of the program, said the students were divided into 11 different start-up simulation teams. Organizers intentionally teamed up students who didn’t know each other, including their camp roommates.
Members of those teams took on executive roles, as they developed their products. The idea was to pitch their products to “investors” on the final day.
They also heard from a variety of speakers addressing business topics.
Dippold said the event moves to different campuses and is considering having more than one camp in the future.
Ohio Business Week gives BGSU a chance to provide students bound for a college in a few years a chance to experience its campus.
“We were excited to host Ohio Business Week and provide a background for students interested in business to see how they can explore their interest on the BGSU campus,” said Katrina Heilmeier, assistant director of recruitment for the Schmidthorst College of Business, told the BGSU Office of Marketing and Brand Strategy. “We opened up the Maurer Center, which felt like a home for students while they found space to do group and individual projects.”
Swaisgood has been here before for STEM camps and has enjoyed her stays. A teacher suggested Ohio Business Week as a way for her to learn about business.
The rising sophomore is already set on attending Miami University for her undergraduate studies but said, based on her summer experiences at BGSU, she would consider it when it comes time to select a graduate school.
Other participants were looking at BGSU as a place to continue their education.
The students mostly came from Ohio, with five participants representing five other states, including Texas.
Jack Cole didn’t come from very far – he’s a student at Anthony Wayne. He already runs his own lawn mowing service. “I’ve always liked business,” he said. When he saw a pamphlet for the camp while visiting campus, he decided to check it out.
“I expected not to like it as much as I did,” Cole said. He said he’s shy and was concerned about coming. “I didn’t know anyone,” he said, but “after the first day, we’re all like family.”
