Twenty-six students from Hempstead High School celebrated the completion of the Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation Program (LEIP) at Hofstra University’s Frank G. Zarb School of Business. This semester-long initiative allowed 11th- and 12th-grade students to enroll in a section of the Zarb School’s first-year course and attend weekly classes to earn 3 college credits.
“The program began as a pilot initiative last year with Hempstead High,” said LEIP Facilitator Dr. Richard Hayes, executive director of Hofstra’s Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. “We hope to expand and extend this opportunity to more students in underserved communities and provide support as a higher education pipeline.”
The LEIP students gathered every Friday evening from September 2024 to January 2025, concluding with student business pitches and the distribution of certificates of course completion on January 17. Attendees for the closing event included Hofstra President Susan Poser, Hofstra Provost Charles Riordan, Zarb School Dean Janet A. Lenaghan, Hempstead Assistant Superintendent James Clark, Hempstead School Transformation Facilitator Jacqueline L. Thomas, and representatives from New York State’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative.
“LEIP allows for self-discovery and mentorship that is critical for student growth and development,” Lenaghan said. “The program reflects our mission at Zarb to provide immersive learning experiences that shape and inspire the next generation of leaders.”
“You took a chance on us, you took a chance on yourself, and you completed a task,” Clark said in his address to LEIP students. “You have shown that you are college and career ready.”
LEIP students pitch their business ventures as a final assignment.
Student Maria Acosta receives a LEIP Certificate from Dr. Hayes and Hofstra President Poser.
Program participants Josue Yanes and Rose Campion
Hempstead MBK and Hofstra University LEIP BBA 100 College Credit Course 2025
Throughout the LEIP, students attended classes taught by Zarb School faculty, gaining essential business knowledge and skills. They also participated in guest lectures and facility tours led by Hofstra faculty from various fields of study, including law, engineering, health sciences, and liberal arts. The program’s interdisciplinary nature ignited new interests, confidence, and futures filled with possibility.
“I joined this program because I wanted to get a head start on my college experience,” said Hempstead High School junior Josue Yanes, who is interested in the medical profession. “Now I know I can do this – that I am ready.”
“Like Josue, I feel I have established that I do want to go to college, and I am college-bound,” shared Rose Campion, a junior. “All students should be able to take a college class like this to see if this is where they want to be.”
For more information about LEIP and community programs in business at Hofstra, visit the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
