Cochrane Summer Economics Institute

Cochrane Summer Economic Institute is a structured summer opportunity for rising high school seniors to reimagine Richmond by imagining possible solutions to real-world challenges faced by partner organizations.
  CSEI provides experiences for students to apply knowledge of economics and use entrepreneurial skills and mindsets. Student participants experience the realities of the workplace while heightening their awareness of systems and “wicked problems”.
  CSEI begins July 5 and runs for four weeks from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. through the end of July. Students from any school in the greater Richmond metro area are invited to apply and provide a recommendation during the spring of their junior year.
  Students interested in economics, entrepreneurship, business and community who embrace uncertainty and enjoy meeting new people have historically gravitated toward the program.

Let’s Design Something Great Together.


Richmond organizations are our Labs

With the guidance of Collegiate faculty and partner organization mentors, students embark on an exploration of Richmond and the systems that impact organizations operating in our community. Through first-hand observation of a CSEI partner organization, students discover systemic issues each encounter in the delivery of their mission, vision and values.
  Student teams then identify a partner organization challenge and apprentice with, or live with, the challenge they are curious about trying to solve. As they spend time in partner organizations’ spaces, students ultimately increase their awareness of the interconnectedness of our community and how complex problem solving is.
  Recent partnerships have included the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU, Dominion Energy, Henrico Entertainment & Sports Authority, Midas of Richmond, Richmond Squirrels, Startup Virginia and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

The world is our Classroom

Accomplished professionals are tapped to work with CSEI participants in their fields of expertise. Leaders share lessons from their career experiences that are directly applicable to participants’ leadership development as well as the real-world problems students are contemplating. Volunteers meet with students either at their Richmond office, on Collegiate’s campus or virtually.

Technology is in our Toolbox

By leveraging MIRO, Zoom and a Google course site, CSEI participants collaborate in-person and virtually with Collegiate faculty and CSEI peers, the Richmond community and professionals around the world from either Collegiate’s campus or partner organization workplaces.

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Contact Us

Trina Clemans
Director, Cochrane Summer Economic Institute
Director, Economic Literacy and Entrepreneurship Education at Collegiate School
trina_clemans@collegiate-va.org

CSEI is a program of the Powell Institute for Responsible Citizenship at Collegiate School.