A competitive edge: student programs based on NBC's The Apprentice are a win for institutions

University Business, Jan, 2007 by Carrie Oleynik

* Be willing to think outside the classroom.

* Obtain buy-in from top administrators.

* Work with alumni who are already engaged in your institution. They may be able to help in a variety of capacities, donating their time or money to support the program, for instance.

* Have everything well planned out. Details should be nailed down in advance for the companies.

* Get student input and involvement in the program planning process.

* Recruit a cross-section of students; the competition shouldn't be open to just business students. Students who have true passion can work well in groups no matter what the discipline.

* Promote and advertise the course or program during registration periods.

* Make sure the administrator or faculty member running the program is passionate, engaged, and business savvy--with real-world work experience.

Resources

The Accelerator at Vanderbilt University (Tenn.): http://accelerator.vanderbilt.edu

The Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship at Babson College (Mass.),www.babson.edu/eship

The Associate at Towson University (Md.), www'towson.edu/cbe/associate

Department of Management and Communication at Taylor University Fort Wayne (Ind.), http://fw.taylor.edu/academics/department/mgtcom

Marketing Apprentice class at Northern Illinois University, www.cob.niu.edu/apprentice