FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas, in partnership with ALLTEL Corporation and the Arkansas Realtors Association, will hold a week-long business seminar for high school students (11th or 12th grades). The Arkansas Business Academy will be held July 13-17, 2003 on the University of Arkansas campus.

"This is an opportunity for high school students to learn from across the state to learn about teamwork, leadership, setting real-life goals, personal accountability, financial literacy and ethics," said Barbara Lofton, director of Minority Affairs, Walton College. "Students will have an opportunity to learn about running their own business, facing real business challenges and making decisions that impact the success of their business."

"We are very grateful for ALLTEL’s and the Arkansas Realtors’ support of this week. We feel this experience can make a difference in the lives of the students in helping them prepare for their future careers," added Lofton.

"ALLTEL is pleased to support this effort to prepare a new generation of business leaders," said Joe Slayton, market area president for ALLTEL. "It’s easy to imagine the students attending the Arkansas Business Academy being energized by the experience and set on a path to becoming leaders in the state’s business community."(QUOTE FROM ALLTEL REPRESENTATIVE)

Students will work closely with volunteer business professionals/mentors, and teams of other high school students. They will act as CEOs in a mock company, listen to seminars, participate in projects and experience college life.

Some of the subjects covered in the seminar will include the role of ethics in everyday life and customer relationships; the strategic importance of profit as an essential part of the American system of commerce; how production, marketing, and finance departments work hand-in-hand to accomplish the common goals of business; and how taxes paid by businesses fund government and the necessary services government provides our citizenry.

Lofton said, "We want these students to learn how they too can share in prosperity that our economy offers. The economy depends on new ideas, new products, and new services. In short, our economy needs our students to dream and to work hard to make their dreams come true."

She added, "For many students, the Arkansas Business Academy will be their first exposure to the responsibilities and opportunities of the real world. They will find out quickly they can weather the unanticipated and, with hard work, they can reap great benefits for themselves and others."

This summer, the Walton College held two other one-week residency, high school programs: the Accounting Career Awareness Program on June 14-21 and the Technology Awareness Program on June 22-28. The purpose of each was to make minority students aware of the career opportunities in the accounting and technology fields. During the week, students attended classes in accounting, computer information systems, and oral communications, taught by Walton College. In addition, the students interacted with minority professionals from business and government, as well as observed them in their work environment.