A group of inland region high school juniors and seniors learned about entrepreneurship at Cal State San Bernardino at the UpStarters Discovery Camp, a new program of Cal State San Bernardino’s Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE). The students, from high schools in Montclair, Palm Desert, Rancho Cucamonga, Bloomington, San Bernardino, Ontario and Murrieta, got a taste of the university’s globally recognized entrepreneurship program and a distinct college experience during the three-day, two-night camp on July 14-16, said Stacey Allis, IECE assistant director. At the camp the students:

  • met with CSUSB alumni and local entrepreneurs;
  • had 14 hours of dedicated entrepreneurial instruction and experiential learning that included problem-solving, creativity and innovation, the power of customer feedback/validation, choosing the right startup model for entrepreneurial ventures, identifying the right startup resources and avoiding rookie mistakes;
  • spent two nights at university housing;
  • toured the campus, had a barbecue and movie night, witnessed a fast pitch competition; and
  • were presented with certificates of completion.

 The camp events were held in various locations across the university and the instruction was held at the program’s main Innovation Lab located on the second floor of the Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration building. The camp also featured a “Mocktail Mixer” welcoming reception at the university’s Coyote Commons patio dining area for the students, hosted by entrepreneurship alumni and local entrepreneurs along with staff and faculty to welcome the budding Upstarters, Allis said. The Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship is listed among the top 35 entrepreneurship programs in the world by Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, more commonly known as AACSB International, a global nonprofit association that connects educators, students and businesses to achieve a common goal: to create the next generation of leaders. For more information, contact Stacey Allis at stacey.allis@csusb.edu or call 909-537-3217. To learn more, visit the CSUSB’s Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship website. For more information on Cal State San Bernardino, contact the university’s Office of Strategic Communication at (909) 537-5007 and visit inside.csusb.edu.