Cancelled: Statewide High School Program Business Horizons, July 19-23
April 23, 2020
The Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) Foundation’s Business Horizons 2020 program to be held July 19-23 at Central College in Pella is cancelled.
With more than 75 high school students and 100 volunteers from across the state who come together for this action-packed week, it is in the best interest of the health and safety of all and their respective communities to cancel. This decision is simultaneous with the school closure announcement made by Governor Kim Reynolds and other summer program and event cancellations in Iowa.
Unfortunately, what makes Business Horizons the ‘best week of the summer’ cannot be recreated online, so the ABI Foundation now looks ahead to the summer of 2021. Applicants accepted this year will be refunded participation fees in full.
“While it wasn’t the outcome we had hoped for, we look forward to using this time wisely,” said Jessi McQuerrey, director of programs at the ABI Foundation. “We’ll be considering opportunities to exemplify the mission and goals of Business Horizons in creative ways that engage our audiences, strengthen our statewide partnerships and add value to students and families.”
The staff, board and additional partners responsible for the program will also be using the extended planning timeline to expand upon Business Horizons’ nearly 40 years of success by applying proactive strategies to increase student engagement and implementing programming components to further address Iowa workforce and community needs.
The success and continuation of Business Horizons is thanks to the more than 5,000 program alumni and numerous additional supporters from education, economic development, Iowa companies and communities, and countless others instrumental in the growth of our state’s business and industry.
The presenting sponsor of Business Horizons is Collins Aerospace. Additional prominent sponsors include Farm Bureau Financial Services, Alliant Energy, Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Wells Fargo, 3M, Hy-Vee, Musco Lighting, Pella Corporation, EMC Insurance, Thombert and Veridian Credit Union.
More updates and information will be available through Business Horizons’ social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.