By J1 Reporter Andrea Nyamedi

A girl hunches over a screen that illuminates a glaring list of career options. She stares into what could be her future, worry and anxiety creasing her face with every scroll. In every grade level at Marian, a student is experiencing this exact scenario. And for every grade level, there is a high chance that she is an ethnic minority, struggling with finding resources to pursue her goals.

One possible answer to this issue is the Rising CEOs Program. Funded by the Midlands African Chamber (MAC) Foundation, this competitive program turns minority teens into entrepreneurs through a meticulous 10-week program. By attending workshops, working with mentors, listening to keynote speakers, and using resources provided by the program, young CEOs turn a business idea into a full fledged pitch deck. At the end, they present their pitches in a contest to win $500 to kickstart their business. 

MAC’s program has had Marian students join throughout the years, but none as big as this year’s Fourth Cohort, which began with six out of the eight initial participants being Marian girls. “Having that prior knowledge of people who have gone through the program and really enjoyed it encouraged me to do the same,” said Nyapuka Buop, a South Sudanese senior who joined the program. She and the majority of this year’s participants had heard about it through friends and Mrs. Ty Nared, Marian’s Director of Belonging.

Beginning in September, the program required students to attend a 4:30-6:30 class every Thursday at UNO’s Community Engagement Center. They were taught by multiple teachers who majored in business. The first half focused on creating and refining their business idea. The second half was dedicated to finalizing the details of their business plan and pitch deck. By the end of week 10, they graduated from the program and presented their finished pitches. 

In week 3, the students took an on-site tour of the Lozier Foundation’s manufacturing plant, a global shelf making company founded in Nebraska. They were able to see welding machinery, factory processes, and working conditions up close. “It was really interesting to see something so mundane like shelves actually have a huge manufacturing process behind it, ” said senior Kelsey Herrera, a Latina participant finalist. 

In week 6, the program brought the students to MAC’s Suit Up event where they would obtain everything they needed to become an official business owner: professional headshots, business attire, and a bio. All was provided for free. “Needing professional clothing is something that you’re going to run into for college or future events,” Buop said, “and I feel like that event was very helpful for that.” These experiences exposed Marian girls to resources and careers that before had only been a possibility.

In addition to receiving lessons about business, they also learned from sources themselves: business owners. Towards the end of the program, entrepreneurs with all kinds of businesses all over Omaha came as keynote speakers and mentors to help them with their ideas. “Working with well known professionals was intimidating at first,” Buop recalls, “but their critiques and advice really solidified what type of business I wanted to make.” 

Despite the support they received, there were some concerns. Dedicating time in and outside the classroom for hours on end was a large commitment for the students. Junior Arie Jackson, an African-American participant said, “to manage everything, I just did it either the night before class or during school when I had time.” Herrera followed a similar approach by doing work after the Thursday classes while it was fresh in her mind. 

By graduation day on Oct. 30, the girls had finished more than 20 hours of work on their business idea in and outside of class. They were competition ready. The ceremony was held at the MCL Construction building, where judges, mentors and a small audience sat to hear the contestants’ pitches. Each student had five minutes to present and five minutes to answer the judges’ questions. They were graded on how realistic their business would be to invest in. 

Nerves filled the air, and even more so when Marian’s President, Mrs. Michele Ernst, had come to watch. Despite anxious feelings, the presentations went smoothly. The students had applied their lessons and experiences to a variety of business ideas, ranging from online subscriptions to jewelry stores. Jackson’s “Capture The Future,” for instance, was an affordable photography business that specialized in providing affordable senior photos to high school students. 

The ceremony concluded with each girl being officially recognized for their hours of hard work. The competition winner had been none other than Marian’s Kelsey Herrera for her online subscription box business targeted towards first-time parents. “I went into the program trying to win it,” she said, “And when that actually happened, it changed my life. It expanded  my horizons on what it takes to make a business from a realistic standpoint, so that I can eventually use that $500 to invest for my future.” 

For everyone who had participated, Rising CEOs was a success. Marian girls took home with them lessons that would undoubtedly follow in their careers. Buop said, “Seeing aspiring in my desired field helped me know what I want to lean towards for my own business.”