Summer Programs

Youth About Business is competitive, it’s challenging, it’s fun.

Why Summer Business Camp?

Students deepen their knowledge of business and sharpen their skills for success.

Youth About Business summer programming consists of three levels of participation: Business Economy of America (orientation and training), Summer Business Camp (a merger & acquisitions simulation camp), and Championship Camp. After each camp, by successfully demonstrating knowledge acquired and excelling in a merger and acquisition competition, students can advance to the next level.

WATCH AN ALUMNI TESTIMONIAL

YAB STAT:
Over 8,000 students have participated in our programs

The benefits of Summer Business Camps?

Students interact with some of the world’s largest corporations.

The Business Economy of America (orientation and training) program introduces students to basic concepts around business. After passing a diagnostic test, high-performing students will continue on to our Summer Business Camp. During this competitive merger and acquisition camp, students will form teams that take on the responsibilities of the executive management of a business. These teams are advised by industry professionals — including accountants, attorneys, investment bankers, and marketing specialists — who will help students understand complex business transactions.

Students are taught to research and analyze public companies, and are exposed to financial terminology such as market capitalization, EBITDA, synergy, leverage ratios, and capital structure – many for the first time. They are also challenged to think through their decisions and understand the strategy and due diligence necessary to determine and execute a feasible transaction. At the conclusion of the Summer Business Camp, students will make presentations about their negotiated transactions before a panel of executive judges.

The top performing teams from this competition will advance to the Championship Camp where they will gain even more access to corporate executives, deepen their understanding of business, and have immersive experiences with some of the world’s largest corporations.  Students will engage in a more complex merger & acquisitions simulation during this competition. The Championship Team will be selected based on their presentation and written shareholder report. This team will receive shares of stock in a publicly-traded company.

Historically, YAB Summer Camps have been hosted at Vanderbilt, Columbia, and Emory Universities. In response to the COVID-19 health pandemic, our business camp series was launched as a virtual model so that students can continue to access our rigorous and unique business education. Please refer to our Online Academy page to learn more about our virtual model.

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For information about our previous Summer Business Camps, please read the selected highlights and annual reports below:

2023

2023 Annual Report

2019
Students were hosted by a number of corporate sponsors for our annual career luncheons. Host firms included Moody’s Corporation, Nomura Holdings Inc., Mayer Brown, Alston & Bird, Deloitte, BankUnited, JP Morgan, SunTrust and more. Students enjoyed the opportunity to speak to executives in a very intimate environment and learn from their experiences.

2019 Annual Report

2018
Columbia Business School Private Equity Course Professor invited several of our female students from the Wall Street Conference to participate at the Private Equity Conference at Ernst & Young. Our students had the opportunity to talk with the top women managers from Private Equity Company and hear about their journeys and career suggestions.

2018 Annual Report

2017
The global law firm Mayer Brown extended its support by hosting the Northeast Basic Camp student presentations at their firm. Students were ecstatic to present in front of a panel of esteemed judges at a great location.

2017 Annual Report

2016
Bloomberg LP hosted a few of our students during the Wall Street Conference at their national headquarters in NYC. This select group of students had the opportunity to take a tour of Bloomberg LP’s national headquarters as well as learn how to perform a stock pitch with one of Bloomberg’s executives.

2016 Annual Report

2015
For the first time, an executive from the tech giant Apple visited the Championship Camp
presentations. Several of our Advanced Camp students had the opportunity to do a presentation in Cupertino for some of Apple’s top executives.

2015 Annual Report

YAB STAT: Over 8,000 students have participated in our programs

Students, Alumni & Mentors

A few kind words about our program.

"In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure. Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter. " Sir James FordYAB Student

"For teenagers even remotely in business, Youth About Business is a program that is truly one of its kind. Participating in the program has truly been a life-changing experience in shaping my future career goals." Elena HlamenkoYAB Student

"Youth About Business has impacted me in numerous ways, it has taught me to always have the mindset of an entrepreneur; think like a producer and not a consumer. It has definitely impacted my social life helping me to find my future career, and college- and nevertheless helping me make connections, the ability to understand business and what it takes to be a proper businessman. " Prince William FordYAB Student