The Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, housed in the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Haslam College of Business, recently welcomed students from several Tennessee high schools and middle schools earlier for engaging entrepreneurship-focused activities. Through separate sessions with the Emerald Youth Foundation, the Business Education for Talented Students (BETS) program, hosted by Haslam’s Office of Access and Community Connections (OACC) and Tennessee 4-H, Anderson Center staff introduced students to the fundamentals of innovation and inspired them to think like future entrepreneurs.

“At the Anderson Center, we’re proud to collaborate with outstanding organizations and offices like the Emerald Youth Foundation, Haslam’s OACC and Tennessee 4-H to spark entrepreneurial thinking,” says Anderson Center executive director Breanna Hale. “Our mission is rooted in inspiring and supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs, and these partnerships allow us to extend that work beyond campus, strengthening UT’s role as Tennessee’s flagship institution by giving back and serving our community in meaningful, lasting ways.”

Emerald Youth Foundation

On Tuesday, June 3, the Anderson Center welcomed more than two dozen high school students participating in an Emerald Youth Foundation summer program.

For over 30 years, the Emerald Youth Foundation has helped more than 30,000 children in the Knoxville area by uplifting urban youth through school support programs, sports and faith-based opportunities. The Emerald Youth Foundation currently works with 3,000 children, teenagers and young adults in the heart of Knoxville.

During their time at UT, students learned from three speakers: Eric Ayers with emc², Brian Washington (UT MS, ’22; PhD, ’24) with AluminAiry and Anderson Center student ambassador Josef Govednik. Each speaker discussed their entrepreneurial journeys, as well as the perseverance required to succeed in college and business.

Business Education for Talented Students

The BETS program is a 10-day summer experience for rising high school seniors hosted by Haslam’s OACC. It introduces participants to business and related careers through workshops led by UT faculty, staff and industry professionals. The Anderson Center hosted two sessions focused on entrepreneurship.

On Friday, June 6, student ambassador Blake Hopkins led the first session, sharing insights about the Anderson Center’s offerings, his experiences as a UT student and entrepreneur and the value of building a strong professional network.

Hale led a second session on Tuesday, June 10, focused on capturing value for consumers, overcoming entrepreneurial challenges and illustrating how even major corporations start as small businesses.

Tennessee 4-H

The Anderson Center welcomed middle school students participating in the 4-H summer camp for two sessions held Wednesday, June 11, and Thursday, June 12, at the Business Accelerator. Tennessee 4-H empowers youth from various backgrounds to explore and develop their unique skills and talents through several programs, including clubs, special interest groups, after-school activities and camps.

During the first session, student ambassador Max Gallinek introduced camp participants to the basics of entrepreneurship and taught them how to craft the perfect elevator pitch. Gallinek also facilitated a creative activity where students developed pitches for imaginative products — such as a credit card that doubles as a hairbrush or a scarf that becomes a blanket with snack pockets — emphasizing that pitching is a valuable and transferable skill regardless of the product.

Katy Daniels (UT, ’23; MS, ’24), Anderson Center competition winner and founder of The Henry BnB, also joined as a guest speaker and delivered her own pitch as a real-world example of an effective presentation.

In the second session, 4-H students showcased their pitches in a Shark Tank-style competition judged by Gallinek, Daniels, startup coach Patrick Slain and faculty and staff from the UT Institute of Agriculture.

About the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation

The Anderson Center is the front door to entrepreneurship at UT, connecting entrepreneurs and innovators at every stage with the resources, networks and expertise needed to solve real challenges. By cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset across campus, connecting entrepreneurs with resources and mentorship they need to grow and collaborating with the UT and regional ecosystem, the Anderson Center is developing an entrepreneurial culture where Volunteers are empowered to identify unmet needs and take bold action to create value through new ventures.

CONTACT

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Kelsey Craighead, marketing and events coordinator, kcraigh2@vols.utk.edu