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NEWSLETTER - JULY 2026 EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION By investing in SharkMakers, you are giving students real-world business experience, igniting their creativity, and empowering them to turn bold ideas into action. Together, we are shaping the changemakers of tomorrow. With the trophies awarded, SharkMakers is already gearing up for fall. We are thrilled to join forces with AMGEN and USF for the AMGEN STEM Entrepreneurship Camp, taking place at USF from July 13 to 16. We will be engaging with 175 exceptional high school students, demonstrating the SharkMakers approach to innovation and turning ideas into reality. Our goal is to inspire them to become the next SharkMakers. Expanding Our Reach This fall, we are broadening our focus to encompass two key areas: High School Cohort: We aim to deepen our regional impact by teaching students to think like CEOs, focusing on deep problem-solving and instilling accessibility and inclusive design as the foundation of their innovations. Collegiate Launch: We are finalizing our cornerstone partnership with the USF Muma College of Business Nault Center for Entrepreneurship to introduce the inaugural SharkMakers Collegiate Competition. Our Mission: Whether in high school or university, we strive to bridge the skills gap, propelling students to become the “CEOs of their lives.” Season 12 planning is in progress. Stay tuned for updates! Become a part of SharkMakers! What’s Ahead, the Next Wave Alumni Making Waves Nia Balieva - 2019-20 3rd Place and 2020-21 1st Place - UF Finance senior, now a Private Banking Intern at Bank of America. Nitya Padmanabhan - 2022-23 1st Place - University of Maryland Computer Science junior, now a Backend Software Engineering Intern at PayPal. Zacharie Cobbs - 2023-24 Bold Innovator, 2024-25 3rd Place - Hillsborough College Business Admin sophmore, now a Legal Intern and co-founder of CivicForward FL. Cassandra Bernard - 2019-20 Award of Distinction, Mentor & Board Member - USF marketing graduate and founder of Casico Creative, now helping businesses grow through branding and creative strategy. Marcin Plaza - 2021-22 1st Place and 2022-23 2nd Place - UF Computer Science and Engineering now a hardware engineer at Midjourney. Matthew Werneken - 2018–19 1st Place Harvard Astronomy PhD student, completed undergraduate and graduate studies at Columbia University, now leading a team that secured a $300K NASA grant for the LIONESS CubeSat. Akshita Kumar - 2022-23 1st Place - Indiana University Finance junior, now a Business Development Intern at AEJ Consulting. By instilling young innovators with strong critical thinking skills, a focus on accessibility, and an entrepreneurial mindset during their formative years, these remarkable alumni are not only preparing for the future, they are actively shaping it. Today, they serve as a compelling testament to the impact of intentional investment in the next generation of leaders!!! To prospective participants, mentors, and sponsors: what are you waiting for? The next generation of innovators is eager, and there’s a place for you in this movement. Join our waitlist for the upcoming season!
