The largest class of students yet came to campus this summer for a weeklong camp showcasing college life and careers in accounting, finance and entrepreneurship in partnership with NABA Inc.
August 23, 2024
By TCU Neeley School of Business
Each summer, the Accelerated Career Awareness Program (ACAP) provides high school students with a one-of-a-kind experience at the TCU Neeley School of Business. This year 75 students were invited to camp from more than 60 high schools.
ACAP guides students through the skills needed to excel in business careers, like accounting, finance, and entrepreneurship. The summer camp also provided students with professional headshot photographs, introduced them to high-profile corporate leaders and allowed them to connect with peer students interested in the same industries.
Ann Tasby, director of the TCU Neeley Office of Inclusive Excellence, credits the volunteers, industry partners, faculty, and staff for elevating the annual program each year. In addition to corporate sponsors, like PepsiCo, EY, Deloitte, and Bank of America, centers and institutes within the Neeley School of Business also contributed to ACAP. Faculty in the Accounting Department, TCU Center for Real Estate, Marketing Department and Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation participated as well.
“The selfless support of all the volunteers was inspiring,” Tasby said. “They gave their time and provided expertise to support these high school students. Their generosity demonstrates the true essence of this program and our collective commitment to empowering underrepresented communities,” said Tasby, who is also an accounting instructor.
“At Neeley, we strive to go beyond just imparting technical skills; we focus on teaching life skills to support the overall development of the students,” she said.
ACAP, which is hosted in partnership with NABA Inc., walks students through potential careers and provides a look at college life during their week on TCU’s campus. It offers financial support to attend the camp, allowing students to envision a future in business and reduces potential concerns about pursuing higher education.
During the camp, the students participated in interactive sessions and workshops. Students went on tours of Topgolf Callaway Brands and Gulfstream Aerospace and participated in etiquette lessons and brand development courses.
Throughout the week, students worked on group projects and a case study initiative that resulted in a business pitch for each group. The winning team showcased their business pitch at a luncheon for family, friends and camp participants. Their team concept was to sell an affordable system that provides video review for sports teams and referees by incorporating AI technology to quickly evaluate questionable calls or decisions during gameplay.
Students on the winning team included: Ethan George, Ethan Williams, Jayden Evans, Kaden Pullam, Maddie Garcia, Kaden Flowers, Iyanu Okelana, Marco Elejabarrieta and their counselor, Noah Armstrong.
To close out the reception, Aniska Moss-Melford, vice president of compliance and ethics with UPS, provided an inspirational keynote address on “getting comfortable with being uncomfortable” to encourage the students to continue striving for success no matter the challenges they face.
Moss-Melford left students with one final question: “Are you going to lead and embrace the uncomfortableness that you are going to experience as you conquer your success?”
