Cecilia Schnobrich and Benjamin Seaton of Cook County High School attended Minnesota Business Venture (MBV) at St. Cloud State University on July 8 – 15. The 350 students attending MBV learn to prepare for life after high school, learn how to start their own business, and improve their financial literacy skills.
What do a tomato fight, the Timberwolves, and the Salted Nut Roll bar have in common? They were all major topics presented to BestPrep’s 32nd annual Minnesota Business Venture (MBV).
“My experience at MBV has been unique and insanely beneficial,” Cook County Senior High School student Cecilia Schnobrich said. “I learned how to pitch a product to investors, start investing, begin a business and also many helpful finance and budgeting tips.”
MBV is a business and career skills program held in partnership with the Herberger Business School at St. Cloud State University and the Donald McNeely Center for Entrepreneurship at St. John’s University.
Over 350 students representing 102 schools took a week out of their summer to prepare for life after high school, learn how to start their own business, and improve their financial literacy skills.
More than 150 generous sponsors donated funds to support students’ attendance. The 3M Foundation, Donaldson Foundation and Leonette M. and Fred T. Lanners Family Foundation made this opportunity available for Cecilia Schnobrich and Benjamin Seaton from Cook County High School.
Over 170 Minnesota entrepreneurs and business professionals volunteered to share their experiences and business insights with the future workforce. Students were met with a gamut of speakers from companies such as: College Nannies & Tutors, JK Clothing, the Midwest Tomato Festival, the Minnesota Timberwolves, Pearson’s Candy Company, and Share Save Spend.
Local business professionals, known as resident business leaders, served as mentors to the students throughout the program. These volunteers, from companies such as Allianz Life, Ameriprise Financial, Ecolab, Ernst & Young, Medtronic, Piper Jaffray, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Travelers and Xcel Energy, lived on campus for the week and guided a small “company” of students through the curriculum and interactive activities.
BestPrep’s Minnesota Business Venture has more than 10,000 program alumni. Andrea Hanson, Minnesota Business Venture’s Director, said “Minnesota Business Venture is a unique opportunity for high school students to gain skills that will help them in their future. The interviewing, teamwork and communication skills developed during the week help prepare students for success in school and the work world.”
For more information about BestPrep, MBV 2012 or MBV 2013, please visit the website at www.bestprep.org or call 763.398.0090.
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