Mira Martin’s first plunge into the world of business took the form of a capstone project during her senior year of high school in Columbus, Ohio. She shadowed partners at a private equity firm in Washington, D.C., where she subsequently became a student at Howard University.

“The experience was incredibly valuable,” Mira says. “The people I met were helpful and encouraging, and they shared a lot of information about their specific roles and the ins and outs of deal making and portfolio management. However, the experience was virtual, and I had very little preparation beforehand, which meant it was a bit overwhelming.”

The Accelerator Summer Business Immersion program, she found, offered an approach that made the wealth of new knowledge she was gaining much easier to absorb and apply. “Accelerator teaches while it throws information at you,” she explains. “That made it easier to digest. The feedback you get throughout the program was also extremely valuable. I am only a rising sophomore and have so much to learn. I was excited to be in an environment where I could experiment with leadership and business ideas and be taught along the way.

“It also put me in constant contact with intelligent, talented, and innovative students who I could learn from, bounce ideas off, and build community with.”

The rhythm of the first week both set the tone for Mira’s experience and became one of her favorite memories. Her team’s assignment involved an on-campus presentation to executives from Asurion, offering their ideas for addressing a real-world challenge for the company. Like the program overall, it was intense. “We restructured our idea repeatedly, even making adjustments the night before,” Mira recalls. “Even though we did not win, I was so proud of how clean and polished our idea and presentation were.  

“That Friday was celebratory in general. Once all the students were done for the day, we gathered in Carmichael [dormitory] to relax, play games, and get to know each other more. It was triumphant.”