Twenty fresh middle school graduates are spending their first week of summer vacation learning the ropes of business and entrepreneurship through a new partnership between Colorado State University Pueblo’s Hasan School of Business Healy Center and Pueblo School District 70.
The 2025 Summer Business Academy runs June 9-13 on the CSU Pueblo campus, combining serious business education with the kind of fun that makes learning stick. Students from five D70 middle schools were selected for the intensive program that could reshape how they think about their futures.
Mornings are all business. Literally. Students dig into the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and business plan development, getting a taste of what college-level coursework feels like. But this isn’t your typical classroom experience. After lunch in the university cafeteria, the afternoons shift gears completely. Campus tours, the ropes course, and Massari recreation facilities give students a full university experience.
The real excitement builds toward Friday afternoon. At 1:30 pm on June 13, student groups will present their business ideas to a panel of sponsor judges in the Hasan School of Business. Each student walks away with prizes ranging in. value from $10 to $30, depending on how their group performs. Parents and guardians are invited to witness these presentations.
There’s more at stake than prizes, though. The university is working to offer students the option of earning one college credit hour through Extended Studies for their participation. And this summer academy might just be the beginning. Students are being encouraged to develop their business ideas further for cash prizes and scholarships at the 2026 Entrepreneurship Competition next April.
Michael Wakefield, professor of managment and Yaneth Correa, associate dean at HSB, are already looking beyond this pilot program. They›ve discussed expanding the initiative to additional school districts across southern Colorado. The potential impact could reach far more students in the southern region. The partnership makes sense for both organizations. D70 gets to offer its graduates a bridge program that combines education with excitement. CSU Pueblo strengthens its community connections while helping students experience and feel comfortable on a college campus. Students get something more than a summer program. They get an experience where business and entrepreneurship aren›t abstract concepts but real pathways they can pursue. Some of these students might discover talents they never knew they had.
About Colorado State University Pueblo
Colorado State University Pueblo is a comprehensive state university with an enrollment of nearly 4,000 students. With 34 percent of its students Hispanic, it is a designated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), and a military friendly university. The university is dedicated to interdisciplinary learning and entrepreneurship that elevates its people and community, creates educational opportunities, fosters unique collaborations, and supports inclusion, access, and affordability as a gateway to the world.
Source: Colorado State University of Pueblo
