Students who wish to sharpen their entrepreneurial skills will be able to participate in the 3-Day Startup event on February 19 at 2:00 p.m. until February 21 at 10:00 p.m. in the College of Engineering and IT (IT building) 3rd floor.

The 3-Day StartUP program at Georgia Southern University is a weekend-long boot camp for individuals who are seeking opportunities in the business realm, and improve themselves personally, academically and professionally.

The program is a “learning-by-doing” workshop, which teaches students the ins-and-outs of what it is to be a CEO or a key player of a winning team. There are only two programs like this in the state, the second being at Georgia Tech.

The students who take part in the program, come to the boot camp with either an idea or product in mind and figure out how they can bring this idea to life, polish it, pitch it, and wait to see if their idea is chosen by an investor.

“My adrenaline is going and I’m ready to get out there, I’ve been working on my business for quite a while now, and I’m ready to get it going,” Jahsiah Kidd, junior mechanical engineering major said.

At the boot camp, there are five to seven backers ready to invest in a student’s idea and help them get to the next level. Students can have actual products, as long as it can be turned into a business in the long run.

Even though the program is based around developing student ideas, that doesn’t limit who can apply and be chosen.

“We have about a hundred of applicants apply every year, but only 40 are chosen for the program, and after the three day program only six ideas are chosen,” Suzanne Hallman, Business Advisor in the Bureau of Business Research and Economic Development, said.

In addition, the program welcomes and chooses students who have skills in public speaking, marketing, graphic design, engineering, political science, and everything in between. This is because the program wants students to know that in order to have a successful pitch it takes more than just the initial creator.

“Applicants are chosen based on their idea and the experience of the student and what they have to offer, and their passion,” Hallman said.

Investors expect the students to have skills that will benefit them in the business world and wish to further their ideas.

“To be open-minded and to be flexible to work with other people…and hold themselves and each other accountable,” Hallman said.

Students feel that the 3-Day StartUp event allows them to practice, prepare and expand their business ideas in front of a group of investors.

“I am very confident, it’s an opportunity to not only get your business out there, but network before you even get to the event, you can progress so much before it even happens and in the long run as well,” Quinton Boyd , sophomore business major, said.

The program goes as follows:

• On day one, the chosen applicants will meet with facilitators and brainstorm their pitches and ideas, while selecting a team.

• On day two, the teams figure out who their target audience will be and form their business plan.

• On day three, the last day, the teams will continue their execution of the idea and present a final pitch to a panel of mentors and investors.

Hallman states that currently there are 28 applicants, and advises anyone who applies to attach a resume for professional purposes.

The deadline to apply is Jan. 31, 2016 and the top 40 to 45 will be chosen that following Friday on Feb. 5, 2016. To apply, please visit http://georgiasouthern.3daystartup.org/.