Program links the College of New Jersey School of Business with area firms
By: Lauren Otis
Returning students at the College of New Jersey School of Business are currently looking to line up small businesses in the area for them to work for and with.
"The mission (of the SBDC program) is to have the business have an opportunity to have students work for them, and the students get the benefit of working on practical applications, not theory," said Lorraine Allen, director of the TCNJ Small Business Development Center.
The ongoing program incorporates several ways area businesses can participate, according to Ms. Allen. On the most basic level businesses can volunteer to be interviewed for student research projects, she said.
Businesses may also present a project or assignment to TCNJ involving some issue they would like further study on a cash flow analysis, research to support a new product, or other work and "a professor will assign a team to work with the business," Ms. Allen said.
Lastly, businesses can submit a special project or problem for TCNJ’s second annual "The Lion’s Apprentice" program and have teams of students compete to offer the best solution, Ms. Allen said.
The program, modeled after Donald Trump’s "The Apprentice" reality TV show, would have several student teams presenting competing solutions to a business problem, she said.
Businesses interested in participating with TCNJ are encouraged to contact the Small Business Development Center by calling (609) 989-5232 or e-mailing [email protected].