From June 23-27, 2008, the NIU College of Business will work with 50 Chicago-area high school students in a business plan development boot camp. The 50 students come from the Austin Business & Entrepreneurship Academy (ABEA), a young high school that is located on the west side in Chicago's Austin neighborhood and that places its focus on teaching students entrepreneurship and business skills. During their week-long stay on the DeKalb campus, the students will participate in sessions that alternate between focused instruction provided by NIU business professors, and teachings and mentoring provided by both successful NIU business alumni and Chicago-area 
business executives. The students will also meet with two Lost Boys of Sudan - one of whom is an NIU student - to hear how these young individuals overcame incredible difficulties to transform their lives. At the conclusion of the week, the 50 ABEA students will present their business plan to a panel of college faculty and business professionals. The NIU College of Business collaboration with ABEA is made possible through the college's relationship with the American Quality Schools Corporation (AQS). AQS partners with major corporations (such as Allstate, among others) and well-regarded business colleges (such as the NIU College of Business, Northwestern, among others) to structure and provide business plan boot camps for high schools -- such as ABEA -- that have a focus on teaching young students the principles of business.