May 22–24, 2023

SMU + GSV Mission Summit

Insightful presentations curated by ASA and Getting Smart will focus on the topics of the effective collaboration between employers and entrepreneurship educators, and leveraging high school work-based learning to build talent pipelines.

American Student Assistance and Getting Smart Host Youth Career-Focused Panel Presentations at  the Inaugural SMU + GSV Mission Summit in Dallas, Texas

American Student Assistance (ASA), in collaboration with Getting Smart, will host 10 panel presentations that elevate critical conversations in the youth career readiness space, during the inaugural SMU+GSV Summit. The event will be held on the SMU campus on May 22-24 in Dallas, Texas, and will attract a diverse group of education stakeholders including entrepreneurs, investors, leaders from business, academia, government, and nonprofits.

Insightful presentations curated by ASA and Getting Smart will focus on the topics of the effective collaboration between employers and entrepreneurship educators, and leveraging high school work-based learning to build talent pipelines.

Employers & Entrepreneurship Educators: A Win/Win Collaboration

May 23, 2023 at 2:00PM – 2:45PM CT

Over 90% of employers agree that it’s important to have an entrepreneurial mindset to prepare candidates to enter the workforce. Enter stage right: entrepreneurial education models that are actively engaging GenZ in career exploration, helping them develop transferable durable skills employers want, and setting them on a confident path for building wealth. Hear from business leaders on entrepreneurial education is connecting employers and learners and helping businesses solve real-world business problems through employer-led project-based learning and youth business plan and pitch competitions.

Building Talent Pipelines through High School Work-based Learning

May 24, 2023 at 2:15PM – 3:05PM CT

Working-to-learn experiences help students build skills employers need and provide businesses with an expanded pipeline of talent. They also help communities reduce unemployment and attract new businesses. Seems like a win-win. But when 79% of high school students say they are interested in a work-based learning experience, why have only 2% completed an internship? Awareness, access to opportunity, and know-how are at the top of the list for both learners and employers.  Hear about how to implement four ways to improve your employee pipelines including: getting involved in project-based learning through a new national pilot, EPIC; partnering with and hiring from work-colleges; supporting high school pathways (P-Tech in TX), or offering a summer internship experience.

Additional Topics

Additional presentation topics will include, “Cultivating an Entrepreneurial Mindset in Engineers,” “Leading High School Entrepreneurship,” “Teaching High School Entrepreneurship,” “Career Exploration and Entrepreneurship in K-8,” “Economic Mobility: Managing Pathways at Scale,” and “Business Partnerships in Out of School Learning & Workforce Development.”

To learn more and register to attend, visit https://www.smu.edu/News/Featured/Inaugural-SMU-and-GSV-Mission-Summit.