Life
Executive Leadership Foundation Awards North Carolina Central University $350,000 grant for Youth Program and Entrepreneurship
(PRNewswire) – Alexandria, Virginia – The Executive Leadership Foundation awarded the North Carolina Central University (a public historically black university – HBCU) a grant of US$350,000 during its annual Recognition Gala on Thursday, October 24, 2013.
The grant was provided under Executive Leadership Foundation’s Community Impact Initiative, a national program aimed at closing the achievement gap among black middle and high school students. Previous grantees include INROADS, LEAD and A Better Chance.
Dr. Debra Saunders-White, the chancellor of the North Carolina Central University, accepted the grant which will support the university’s Summer Youth Business and Entrepreneurship Academy in by extension the next generation of black business leaders.
“Through our Community Impact Initiative, we are making a strategic investment in the next generation of business leaders, providing more than US$1 million in just three years to deserving grantees,” said Ronald C. Parker, president and CEO of The Executive Leadership Council and Foundation. “We are pleased to expand our impact and reach by providing this grant to North Carolina Central University’s Summer Youth Business & Entrepreneurship Academy.”
The North Carolina Central University School of Business and Executive Leadership Foundation are aligned around the goal of preparing students for career success and global leadership. Under the Summer Youth Business and Entrepreneurship Academy, high school sophomores and juniors take part in a two-week, non-residential business and entrepreneurship immersion program. Students participate in lectures, corporate visits, and a case competition, where they work in teams to prepare a business plan. A panel of judges from the business community evaluates the plan and awards a prize to the winning team.
“This generous gift from the Executive Leadership Foundation will enable the North Carolina Central University to invest in training for the next generation of business leaders, entrepreneurs and scholars,” said Saunders-White. “We are thankful to the Executive Leadership Foundation for supporting our efforts to build a pipeline of skilled individuals for the workforce in North Carolina and our nation.”
The partnership with Executive Leadership Foundation will allow the North Carolina Central University Summer Youth Business and Entrepreneurship Academy to expand its outreach to include more students and provide additional services at no cost to the student. The program began in 2012 with 16 and is expected to grow to 60 students in 2014 and double its enrollment in both 2015 and 2016.
