Emerging Entrepreneurs Academy

Overview

The Emerging Entrepreneurs Academy, or EEA, is a nonprofit organization based in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, that teaches high school students what it takes to start and run a business. It was founded by Gary Seibert, the founder of the Small Business Resource Association, together with co-founder Terri Hill, and it operates as a registered 501(c)(3) with its own executive director and board. The academy's mission, in its own words, is to equip young people to discover their potential through real-world experiences, mentorship, and ongoing support that prepares them to strengthen their communities and lead with impact.

The Summer Academy

The academy's core program is an intensive six-week summer workshop for students in the later years of high school, held on the Penn State Berks campus. The curriculum combines classroom instruction with an internship-style experience: students spend part of the program in interactive sessions and role-playing exercises built around the questions an owner faces, then spend several weeks in the field with local business owners, where they test what they have learned against a working company. Written assignments tie the two halves together, and the program closes with a Dream Pitch presentation day, in which each student presents a business idea, followed by an expo and banquet where students, families, mentors, and sponsors gather.

Tuition is charged per student and scholarships are available; the academy's sponsorship program exists largely to fund student seats. Applications are accepted through the academy's website.

Classroom and Alumni Programs

Beyond the summer session, the EEA works with schools and educational organizations to deliver its proprietary curriculum in the classroom, supplemented by visits from business owners. An alumni program connects graduates with local businesses and with one another, and alumni hold leadership positions within the academy itself, including an alumni director and committee chairs for programming, events, and communications.

Goals and Community Ties

The academy describes four goals: developing entrepreneurial programs that combine an immersive curriculum with local business owners, mentorship, and community involvement; standardizing those programs so that other organizations can adopt them; building a community of graduates and business owners who work together; and encouraging new owners to establish their businesses locally. The program began as a joint effort with Career Ready Berks in cooperation with the Small Business Resource Association, and it draws its mentors and internship hosts from the Berks County business community.

Leadership and Contact

Gary Seibert serves as founder and chief executive officer, and Christine Kreisher as executive director. The board is chaired by Stephen T. Gieringer. The academy shares an office with the Small Business Resource Association on Keiser Boulevard in Wyomissing and can be reached through its website, where sponsorship levels, past sponsors, photos, and news coverage are posted.