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Two faculty members from the University of New England’s College of Business have spent part of the spring 2025 semester volunteering as mentors for the (JA Maine) , a five-week program that immerses Maine high school students in the fundamentals of business economics. 

Golshan Madraki, Ph.D., associate professor of supply chain management, and Tim Potsaid, Ph.D., assistant professor of accounting, guided students at the (BRCOT), a secondary vocational school located on the Biddeford High School campus, through the JA Maine Titan (JA Titan) curriculum. 

JA Maine provides high school students with real-world learning experiences in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work and career readiness to empower them with the knowledge, ability, and confidence to navigate their futures, power Maine’s economy, and lead in their communities. 

51����’s relationship with JA Maine and Biddeford Schools highlights how partnerships with local universities can help shape students’ futures and bolster Maine’s workforce.

The state’s economy continues to face workforce shortages in critical industries, creating an urgent need for programs that prepare students for in-demand careers. Developing a highly skilled workforce starts early, Madraki said, with initiatives that provide hands-on learning and real-world exposure to professional environments. 

The JA Titan experience aims to achieve this by helping students gain exposure to critical areas such as production, marketing, research and development, and corporate social responsibility.

“A successful academic journey starts early, even before college, and programs like JA Titan — along with 51���� professor volunteers — help bridge the gap, inspiring students to explore future opportunities in academia,” Madraki said. “We look forward to cheering them on at the JA Titan competition and wish them all the best.”

The business faculty’s involvement underscores the strong relationship between 51���� and Biddeford Schools, reinforcing how partnerships with local universities help shape students’ futures and bolster Maine’s workforce.

“Partnering with 51���� to teach students the JA Titan Challenge is about more than just business strategy — it’s about pushing students out of their comfort zones and encouraging them to collaborate, think critically, and make bold decisions,” said Karen Gellis, a business education instructor at the BRCOT. “The real learning happens when they step up, work together, and embrace the challenge. It has been a pleasure working with the team at 51���� to broaden the students' experiences.”

With support from over 600 corporate and community volunteers, Junior Achievement of Maine reaches more than 13,000 students annually, providing them with valuable financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and career readiness skills. 

The JA Titan Experience is a key part of this effort — students partake in a simulated experience overseeing operations of a cell phone company, gaining knowledge in profit equations, business outcomes, budgeting, research and development, corporate social responsibility, and more along the way. The program culminates in a statewide challenge where student teams compete against one another in a dynamic business simulation.

As 51���� continues to expand its industry partnerships and career-focused initiatives, collaborations like the JA Titan Experience reinforce the University’s role as a key player in Maine’s workforce development. 

By fostering meaningful connections between education and industry, 51���� and Junior Achievement are preparing students to step confidently into in-demand careers and contribute to Maine’s economic success, said Jesseca Steele, program manager at JA Maine.

“Students across our state benefit from hearing directly from 51���� experts in their field who enhance students understanding of key concepts in business, finances, and workplace readiness,” Steele remarked. “Junior Achievement is fortunate to have partners like the University of New England to help prepare students for post-secondary options and future careers.”

She said that the organizations’ shared commitment to experiential learning — through business training, research partnerships, internships, and industry collaborations — ensure students of all ages can begin building their professional identities well before graduation. 

“Volunteers like Dr. Madraki and Dr. Potsaid help students see their own future and provide unique avenues for mentorship and networking,” Steele said.

Madraki said that, by engaging with high school students in the JA Titan Experience, 51���� faculty are extending these opportunities beyond campus and into the local community. She added that that it was personally satisfying to see the BRCOT students develop confidence in their abilities, learn from their mistakes, and grow as future professionals.

“As faculty, this partnership not only fosters our understanding of high school students' needs but also strengthens the connection between higher education and the community,” she said.