Student Activities and Programs

Along with the faculty, the students themselves play central roles in the educational process at the School of Business. Over 20 student clubs and organizations foster an environment that rewards academic achievement, stresses the importance of networking, and creates opportunities for direct contact with successful minority business persons. Beta Gamma Sigma, the national scholastic honor society for AACSB-IAME accredited business programs, and Delta Sigma Pi, a national business fraternity, have successful, active chapters in the School of Business. The Student Council sponsors numerous forums on topics related to the business person, highlighted by an annual “Business Week”. In addition, there are various student clubs and organizations that specifically relate to each undergraduate discipline. 

The Executive Leadership Honors Program 

The objective of the School of Business Executive Leadership (SBEL) Honors Program is to provide a superior and specially designed academic experience for those undergraduate students who have demonstrated superior academic ability and leadership potential. The Program seeks to increase the pool of well-trained, well-rounded minority executives who are committed to leadership and community service in the field of business. The Program includes honors sections, special courses taught in a broad spectrum of disciplines by outstanding faculty, leadership and ethics training, opportunities for independent study and research, and exposure to graduate opportunities and corporate mentors. Honors students are required to participate in additional community service activities, as well as specific internships, seminars, and workshops. The Program also is effective in exposing students to senior corporate executives through corporate retreats, seminars, and a corporate mentorship program.  The department chairpersons meet each year with the students in the Program to collaborate on curriculum ideas and professional networking opportunities. 

Each student in the SBEL Honors Program receives part of a full tuition scholarship. Approximately 25-40 students are admitted into the Program each year. The current SBEL Honors Program requirements are detailed below. These criteria and tuition allotments are subject to change. 

· Academic Criteria for Eligibility 

An incoming freshman must have earned a combined SAT score of at least 1150 or an ACT score of 26, a high school grade point average of at least 3.5, and rank in the upper 10% of his/her high school graduating class. 

A rising sophomore must have earned a grade point average of 3.5 or better in his/her freshman year at Howard. 

· Statement of Career Interest 

Each applicant must submit a two-page, double-spaced typed essay outlining his/her interests and career goals within the field of business. 

· Statement of Personal Interest 

Each applicant must submit a personal statement that details his/her extra-curricular activities and outlines the reasons for seeking admission into the Honors Program in Business. 

· Each applicant must submit an official transcript and confirmation of SAT scores. 

· Each applicant must submit three letters of recommendation. 

It is important that these letters be detailed and frank. Each letter should state the extent of the recommender’s acquaintance with the applicant and, as fully as possible, the recommender’s opinion of the applicant’s intellectual ability, commitment to academic pursuits, character, reliability, and maturity. Two of these letters should be written by individuals, preferably teachers, who are familiar with the applicant’s academic abilities. One should come from an individual who is familiar with the applicant’s contributions to his/her community. 

The 21st Century Advantage Program 

The School of Business has established the Office of Special Programs for the Retention of Students in order to develop and implement a comprehensive retention program that addresses the needs of the School of Business’ diverse student body. The program is called the 21st Century Advantage Program (21 CAP). 21 CAP has served as a catalyst for significant changes in the educational processes within the School. The result is a learning environment that involves teamwork at all levels of the undergraduate business curriculum beginning at the freshman level. 21 CAP addresses all the major factors that impede success for first-time-in-college students. These include the lack of motivation and/or the right attitude for success; lack of community support; lack of academic preparation; unreal expectations; lack of parental involvement; financial aid problems; and lack of information concerning the University. 

The foundation for the program is twofold: 1) an instructional component which features a required first semester of college Business Orientation course, followed by a second semester of college Career Counseling Course and 2) the Management Team Leadership Program, which focuses on team work and team building. The other six components of 21 CAP—the Pre-Freshmen Program, the Housing Program, the Pre-Studies Program, the Motivational Incentive Program, and the Corporate Team Adoption Program—support the Program’s foundation. 

The Corporate Team Adoption Program is a unique feature of 21 CAP. During the first semester, student teams (composed of freshman and transfer students) are adopted by a particular Fortune 500 company that serves as their “parent” company. The “adoption” involves continuous, active communication and exchange between the team and corporate representatives. The company sponsors training sessions and action learning programs which assist students in developing the skill sets and cross-functional thinking that are essential for their professional development. The students learn about the history, culture, business, and industry dynamics of the company through research, case studies, and site visits. Since each team continues to work with the company until its graduation, team members have become, after four years, well-trained, knowledgeable potential employees of the company. Each year a new team of entrants is adopted by the company and merged with previous teams, whose members now are sophomores, juniors, and seniors. This process creates both mentor relationships between freshmen and older students as well as a pipeline of students with a particular company affiliation. 

The Corporate Team Adoption Program has been successful in developing alliances that have benefited both students and their corporate partners. First-year students are immediately connected to the business world, an experience that enables them to focus on their career development and be comfortable and confident in a business environment. Companies become actively involved in educating and developing students, some of whom have become valuable employees. For example, each academic year, scholarships and numerous internships are offered to members of the freshmen teams. Currently, more than twenty companies participate in the Program. Others are on a waiting list.