About SMEA
The San Marcos Entrepreneurship Academy is a 4-course pathway within San Marcos High School in Santa Barbara, California. SMEA was established in 2013 on the core values of providing a proper foundation to students interested in business and entreprenuership.
Our history
SMEA was created in 2013 under the leadership of Alex Sheldon, Jamie Devries, and Ed Behrens. They saw how excited students could get at the prospect of designing and running their own business - and, that they were more than capable of learning and executing the work associated with business development. Instead of a single year of work, why not extend that learning period to three courses? And that’s where the academy came into view. So, a partnership with Santa Barbara City College’s Scheinfeld Center was formed and made their courses available on our campus for dual-enrollment.
Structure
Experience
Students within SMEA are able to gain real-world experience in entrepreneurship and through a series of annual excursions, innovative lessons, and engaging projects. Through this process, students build a network of valuable connections in the business world.
Starting either freshman or sophomore year of high school, students are engaged in a three-course pathway that expands their ability to spot opportunity, assess risks involved, and understand how to effectively start and operate a small business. Students will receive college credit for their work during high school through our partnership with Santa Barbara City College and will have the opportunity to intern through partnerships with local businesses.
SMEA Objectives
The San Marcos Entrepreneurship Academy strives to acheive two main objectives:
1
To provide students with a foundation to launch their own business.
2
To provide future business school students with a strong foundation to succeed in university.
SMEA Guest Speaker: Proffesional Surfer Shaun Tomson
Local Partnerships
SMEA focuses on connecting students to local business owners within the Santa Barbara community. Through speaker sessions and interactive activities, students gain mentorship from valuable leaders in our community. By partnering with local businesses for events, SMEA maintains connections in a diverse range of industries.