Published: June 19, 2001

Note to editors: Reporters and photographers are welcome to attend this event.

High school students from throughout Colorado are participating in CU-Boulder's Business Leadership Program this week through June 23.

Sponsored by the College of Business and local corporations, the free program offers 30 outstanding students from diverse backgrounds the opportunity to get a head start on their college careers.

The students are prospective first-generation college students whose parents did not attend college, economically disadvantaged or members of underrepresented groups. The students have demonstrated leadership potential, possess an interest in business-related fields, maintain excellent academic standards and have completed their junior year of high school.

During the program, students will gain a background in business and enhance their computer skills while networking with guest speakers from major corporations and College of Business faculty and administrators. The program also allows students to put what they learn into practice during an advertising campaign competition featuring a prize of a $1,000 scholarship to the College of Business.

Each participant will be a "CU Student for a Day" and socialize with business students and peers from different high schools. They also will go to movies, bowl and ice skate.

The program covers the cost of tuition, room and board. It is sponsored by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, State Farm Insurance, Level 3 Communications, KPMG, IBM, Sun Microsystems, Verizon and Nestle.