The Young Entrepreneurs Academy Saunders Scholars Competition brings together the top students from each YEA! class around the country to compete in Rochester, NY this May.
This year Rochester Institute of Technology Saunders College of Business will host an estimated 300 students, parents, Chamber of Commerce and School leaders from around the country, and affluent members of the business community serving as Judges during the competition event!
Entrepreneur and philanthropist E. Philip Saunders has provided the Young Entrepreneurs Academy a ten-year, transformational gift to provide young entrepreneurs, inventors, and innovators an opportunity to earn significant college scholarship awards. Mr. Saunders and the Academy believe in aligning passions, interest and skills with higher education. The YEA! Saunders Scholars Competition brings together the top student businesses from each YEA! class around the country to compete to win scholarship dollars, and business start-up prize packages.
Rochester is where it all started for the Young Entrepreneurs Academy. Founded in 2004 at the University of Rochester with support from the Kauffman Foundation, the Young Entrepreneurs Academy today serves thousands of students in communities across America from its national headquarters in Rochester, NY.
The Young Entrepreneurs Academy Saunders Scholars Competition features shark-tank style pitches of top students from YEA! classes around the country to a panel of judges for exciting prize packages including college scholarships and business start-up packages. This year students will also be participating at Imagine RIT: Innovation and Creativity Festival, and will enjoy celebrations at Hattie’s at The Strathallan and Dave & Busters!
This event is made possible by a gift from Philip E. Saunders and from partnerships with The Rochester Institute of Technology who hosts the event at the Saunders College of Business, as well as Southwest Airlines who provides roundtrip airfare for many of the students to fly into Rochester to participate in the event!
To learn more about YEA and how you can get involved visit the Young Entrepreneurs Academy website, or contact Meredith Rochwarg, mrochwarg@yeausa.org, 585-272-3535