Empowering Students for the Future: Fordham LPP's Students Excel at a Career Readiness Event

On Tuesday December 12th, Fordham University’s Liberty Partnerships Program participated in the nonprofit educational organization SuitUp’s “Battle of the Boroughs” Business Competition at Fordham University School of Law in Lincoln Center. At this large-scale career readiness event, student teams were coached on solving a real-world business challenge by corporate volunteers from the financial services sector. They then pitched their teams' original business ideas with self-developed strategy, marketing, and design plans to a panel of professional judges in hopes of winning cash prizes.

Fordham LPP brought 20 students from 3 Bronx partner schools to compete against 200+ other high schoolers from all 5 NYC boroughs - and one of our two LPP teams won the semi-final round to represent the Bronx in the finals! LPP 9th-grader Siennah Lantigua was also one of five students to receive an exclusive Leadership Award in recognition of her outstanding and outspoken initiative and collaboration. At the end of the day, an excellent Manhattan team won the final round, but our students thoroughly enjoyed this unique experience and gained new insight on what it takes to start a new business and be a CEO.

1  Fordham LPP at SuitUp's "Battle of the Boroughs" Business Competition

2 Fordham LPP's Team 4 presents to judges in the Bronx semi-final round

3 Fordham LPP's Team 3 presents to judges in the Bronx semi-final round for this image that you would like visitors to be able to read.

4 Team 3 wins the semi-finals to represent the Bronx in the finals

5 Team 3's financial strategists celebrate their semi-final win

6 Team 3's logo designers showcase their work

7 Team 3 poses with their corporate volunteer coaches

8 Team 3 presents their business pitch again to a 200+ audience in the finals