The Jerry S. Rawls College of Business made new strides as the Business Career Awareness Program (BCAP) expanded beyond
Lubbock to the Irving area, empowering a broader audience of future industry leaders.
Through a series of speaker presentations and alumni panels, high school juniors and
seniors from Irving ISD explored the business programs and financial opportunities
available at the Rawls College through a mini-BCAP session at the Texas Tech DFW campus. Students also learned about topics targeting real-world exposure, including human
skills in business, neuroscience, career management, negotiation, and conflict resolution.
BCAP Irving
In partnership with the Irving Schools Foundation, 20 students from MacArthur High School and 18 students from Jack E. Singley Academy attended the two-day BCAP event this past spring.
Christine Clemson, career and technical education teacher at MacArthur High School and regional co-advisor for Business Professionals of America, reflected on how the event broadened students' perspectives on college access and opportunities.
“Many of our students do not have the opportunity to attend in-person campus tours, nor even fathom that they can afford to attend universities outside of the metroplex, as affordability is a real issue for our families,” said Clemson. “Sharing information about campus life makes a difference. Students lit up when they learned about the Presidential Merit Scholarship and Red Raider Guarantee.”
As one of the individuals who helped launch BCAP five years ago, LeeAnn Hinkle, a partner at PwC and board member of the Irving Schools Foundation, recognized the program’s potential to help young students discover their paths. This year, she served as the event’s primary partner and helped make it possible for Irving ISD students to attend the camp by funding their participation.
Hinkle said it's important for students to “recognize the art of the possible” and know that coming from a corporate background is not the only path to success.
“I think with my own journey…I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my career until I came to Tech,” said Hinkle. “I wanted to help students start those conversations early and not wait until their junior year of college and then go, ‘Oh gosh, I wish I had known what I wanted, and now it’s too late to pivot.’”
The impact of those conversations is demonstrated through student experiences. For Jack E. Singley Academy rising senior Rahaan Aslam, the experience offered him valuable insight, helping him create an informed plan for his academic and professional future.
“BCAP helped open my eyes and ease some affordability stress through the scholarship opportunities and programs they offer,” said Aslam.
He also shared that connecting with TTU alumni and asking questions directly helped relieve lingering concerns. The experience strengthened his interest in the commercial real estate program and, like many other students, broadened his awareness of academic pathways he had not previously considered.
BCAP Returns to Lubbock and Welcomes New Students
Following the success of the Irving session, BCAP returned to Lubbock earlier this summer. The Rawls College welcomed 30 rising high school juniors and seniors from Lubbock schools, including Frenship, Estacado, Lubbock, Talkington School for Young Women Leaders, and Monterey. This year marked a significant milestone as five Irving students who participated in the mini-BCAP session months earlier joined the Lubbock experience. Their participation underscored BCAP’s growing reach beyond West Texas and its ability to connect more students with opportunities at the Rawls College and Texas Tech.
During the weeklong residential experience, students immersed themselves in college life while exploring business education through faculty-led sessions, hands-on activities, and collaborative projects.
For Fallon Contreras, director of student engagement and recruitment at the Rawls College, BCAP’s continued growth and the confidence students gain each year demonstrate the program’s impact.
“BCAP continues to create meaningful opportunities for high school students to explore business, leadership, and higher education in a supportive and engaging environment,” she said. “Watching students arrive with curiosity and leave with greater confidence, new friendships, and a clearer vision for their future is what makes this program so rewarding.”