n STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
PREPARED FOR LIFTOFF New program fuses classroom work with workforce training By Bridget Koan
L
ike a startup or an established business, there’s always a need to innovate, keeping the customer in mind. The Bloch School always has been known for innovation when it comes to providing future entrepreneurs and business leaders with the education and skills required to meet workforce demands.
Through working on projects under deadline as a team, Bloch Launchpad is preparing scholars for the workforce.
“We want students to have a unique experience while at Bloch,” said Scott Ezzell, manager of undergraduate admissions and recruiting. “The experience we create for the student needs to be different.” Thanks to a substantial investment from UMKC, the Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation, the H & R Block Foundation and the University of Missouri System, the Bloch School created Bloch Launchpad. Launchpad is for first-time college and transfer students from Missouri and Kansas enrolling in business or accounting degree programs. In its inaugural year, Launchpad enrolled 58 students — students like Jordan Daniels from Kansas City, Missouri. “I applied to the Launchpad program to get connected and established with other students who have similar career interests,” Daniels said. “The Launchpad program is one that should be pursued by every business student coming to UMKC.” 12
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Launchpad Scholars take the same classes as other UMKC Bloch students, but also have built-in opportunities for internships, development workshops and career fairs; participation in student organizations and leadership activities; mentorship programs; and business seminars. “Launchpad sets students up for success at a very early stage so their employment outcomes after graduation are strong,” said Erin Christensen, employer relations and outreach manager with the Bloch Career Center. Launchpad Scholars are engaged with staff, faculty and business leaders before classes even start. They began with Liftoff, an orientation held the summer before the semester starts. Parents and students gathered for welcome activities, team-building exercises and a site visit to the Sprint campus in Overland Park. Being a Launchpad Scholar is a fulfilling challenge because of the advanced academic and program requirements. When it’s time for graduation, scholars are prepared for the next step. That sentiment rang true for Gavin Ott, a freshman from Platte City, Missouri, who likes the program because it has the potential to set students apart from their peers by measurable differences. “I looked at all of the possible options and felt that UMKC would best prepare me to reach my goals and secure the ideal career,” Ott said. Daniels is pleased to be among the first students to participate in the Launchpad program and hopes the first group of scholars can provide a great foundation for the cohorts to come. “Having transferred to UMKC, I wanted to quickly fit in and find my group of people here on campus,” Daniels said. “I really appreciate the fact that everyone in the program wants you to succeed. There are so many great resources that have helped me secure an internship, practice my interview skills and really just prepare me for the real world.” “They are really engaged students,” Christensen said. “Ultimately, Henry would love the sense of philanthropy in the students.”
For more information on Bloch Launchpad, visit bloch.umkc.edu/launchpad.
