Presbyterian College hosted the Annual South Carolina Business Week from July 26-31. For more than 30 years, the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce’s Business Week program has contributed to the preparation of young adults for the business environment by introducing them to the principles of leadership, teamwork, and the American free enterprise system while promoting self-reliance, individual responsibility, public speaking skills, and entrepreneurship.

During the “career readiness” week, teams of high school students developed mock companies, led by company advisers loaned from some of South Carolina’s most successful legacy companies like Michelin, SCANA, Colonial Life, Sun Printing, Midlands Technical College, and United Way. When the students were not working on their business simulations in company teams, they were touring multinational companies, unveiling their “apps” to a Shark Tank panel, auditioning for a diverse talent show, sculpting new business ideas with “junk,” learning about life on a college campus, making new friends, and preparing for the end-of-the-week graduation ceremony.

More than 160 students successfully graduated from the program. Approximately half of those students applied for college scholarships through the program, and then a handful were selected for interviews. This year six scholarships were awarded.

“PC is fortunate to work with the SC Chamber of Commerce to host SC Business Week because it brings to our campus almost 200 of the state’s best and brightest high school students, who spend a week working in small groups with their company advisers, who volunteer a week of their time away from their jobs, to learn about business,” said Norman Scarborough, the William Henry Scott III Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship. “Some students are inspired to go on to major in Business Administration in college, to choose careers in the business world, and to start their own companies.”

Robbie Barnett, associate vice president of workforce, education, and manufacturing policy said, “Business Week has been held at Presbyterian College for so long that it feels like we’re going home each summer. The students (and parents) at Business Week appreciate the small, intimate nature of the campus. It’s very nurturing and conducive to training the next generation of South Carolina business leaders.”

During the students’ stay they slept in PC’s residence facilities, ate in PC’s dining hall, and made use of classrooms, computer labs, the Harper Theatre, Templeton Gym, and Wyatt Chapel.

Ted Pitts, president and chief executive officer of the SC Chamber of Commerce is a 1994 PC alumnus.