Rice Summer Business Institute Overview

• Introduce a group of ambitious high-school students from low and moderate income communities to the world of business, broadening their expectations of career paths that are possible for them.
• Sow seeds for developing diverse business leaders for Houston’s future.

This program is provided free of cost to students accepted through a competitive application process and to the winners of the Money Math Challenge. The program includes daily lunch and daily bus transportation to and from Project GRAD high schools.

For More Information, contact RSBI Director Jill Foote (jfoote@rice.edu, 713.348.3146) or RSBI Manager James Lenz (james.e.lenz@rice.edu, 713-348-3166)
 

 

Institute Program

The Rice Summer Business Institute (RSBI) introduces students to the world of business and finance. Throughout the course, students address questions such as: How does the stock market work and how do I manage a portfolio? How does Nike maintain brand dominance? I have a great idea for a new business, how do I make it happen? How do I make ethical business decisions and inspire others to follow me?

RSBI offers an introduction to many general business topics including:

• Corporate organization
• Business strategy and planning
• The stock and commodities markets
• The business of energy
• Consumer marketing and brand management
• Business leadership and ethics
• New product introduction
• Sports business management

The Institute starts with a 'kick-off' Friday in which the students will introduce themselves, take videos and class pictures, and get to know each other through an 'egg drop' team competition.

Then, the first week of the Institute focuses mostly on the presentation of topics and skills development:

• Lectures on business topics by prominent Jones School faculty and alumni
• Instruction and exercises in behavioral business skills such as team building, individual initiative, and time management
• Excel, Power Point, and the internet exercises facilitating ‘hands on’ internalization of skills and curriculum topics
• Usage of donated TI BAII Professional financial calculators, which become a gift to each student who successfully completes the Institute
• Information sessions by Rice admissions and Jones School career placement

The second week includes significant time spent on cross-school student teams conducting an in-depth business analysis of a retail company, and culminates in a team presentation to the entire group on the final day of class.

Fun Learning
A stock market trading simulation, a Venture Capital new business ‘pitch competition’, a sports management case study, and a competitive analysis of an episode of The Apprentice will provide a chance for ‘fun learning.’ Additionally, field trips to our Houston-based underwriter and sponsors provided a first-hand view of the ‘real life business world’. In 2010, fieldtrips included underwriter Bank of America Merrill Lynch, corporate sponsor ConocoPhillips, Reliant Stadium (home of corporate sponsor Houston Texans), Invesco, and the Federal Reserve.

Team Business Analysis
Cross-school student teams conduct an in-depth business analysis of a retail corporate entity (such as Nike, Harley Davidson, and eBay). This analysis leverages learning from earlier sessions in the Institute and focuses on answering such questions as:

• What are company’s primary businesses?
• What is the company’s competitive strategy?
• Why is the company making or losing money?
• What is the nature of the customer base?
• What is the company’s marketing strategy? Is it working?
• Is the company launching new products?
• How is the company’s stock performing?

The team analysis culminates in a team presentation to the entire group on the final day of class.

Internships
Students vie through a competitive interview process for internships with some of RSBI's corporate partners. Internships will run approximately 20 hours per week during the month of July.

Awards Ceremony
The Institute will close on Saturday with an Awards Ceremony and luncheon open to all those involved – the students, their parents, faculty and alumni guest lecturers, and the RSBI underwriter and corporate sponsors. An award will be given to the team with the best business analysis / presentation along with two individual achievement awards. Finally, all students will ‘graduate’ from the Rice Summer Business Institute receiving a Certificate of Participation.