Marcos Business Academy

The Marcos de Niza Business Academy, (MBA) was designed to build on past collaboration between Marcos de Niza High School (MDN) and the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University (ASU). All aspects of this academy are designed, overseen, and facilitated in full collaboration with staff from both institutions.

This academy was launched with 1 program – marketing, with the intention of adding additional business-related programs in future years. Each program offered within the academy is fully aligned to Tempe Union’s requirements, district Career & Technical Education requirements, MDN’s student needs, and ASU’s expectations. Each program, beginning with the Marketing program in 2018-2019, provides students with a 3-4 year enhanced student experience in the program area.  Each program not only teaches students content BUT ALSO will require students to apply this content, exposes students to related careers and industry expectations, allow students to engage regularly with college faculty and students, provide students with scholarship opportunities, and provide interested students with direct pathways into related higher education programs and careers.

Specifically, the Marketing Program is designed to help students prepare for marketing and management careers in sales, customer service, advertising, promotion, and public relations.  In this program, students will be exposed to marketing aspects of the sports, entertainment, hospitality, and tourism industries. They will also participate in the student organization DECA to develop and apply valuable leadership skills. Finally, through this program, students work closely with the faculty and students from ASU’s W.P. Carey School of Business.

Benefits of this program for students include:

• Three years of rigorous marketing courses, each spending a majority of class time on hands-on workplace experiences
• An opportunity to earn industry certifications and state recognition
• An opportunity to participate in state and national student leadership opportunities (i.e. DECA)
• An opportunity to complete an internship directly related to marketing
• An opportunity to work regularly with college faculty and students
• An opportunity to participate in summer college experiences for high school students
• An opportunity to possibly earn college scholarships
• An opportunity to earn direct admission to ASU’s W.P. Carey School of Business (if meet minimal requirements to be admitted to ASU) along with admittance to W.P. Carey Leadership Academy as Freshmen