YHC students help with local business seminar
Young Harris, GA (04/08/2025) — Business majors at Young Harris College joined forces with the local chapter of SCORE to hold a seminar for small businesses in the community. SCORE is a national organization whose volunteers provide mentoring and support for small businesses.
The seminar was held March 29 on the Young Harris College campus and organized by John Beverstein, a YHC alum and volunteer with the local SCORE chapter. Beverstein worked with Ian Oxman, an instructor in YHC's Business and Public Policy department and faculty advisor of the YHC Business Club. Students with the club volunteered at the event.
"The Business Club at YHC was thrilled to host its first SCORE seminar on campus. We were able to see small business owners from around the community gather to learn more about making their business dreams become reality," Mia Edmondson, a member of the YHC Business Club, which helped with the event. "With the guidance of the SCORE mentors, they are now equipped with the skills and knowledge to make their business successful. The event was very successful, and we hope to host another SCORE event in the future!"
SCORE volunteers across the nation provide free, business mentoring and support to America's small businesses in all 50 states and U.S. territories. In 2024, SCORE's 10,000 volunteers provided 4 million hours of mentoring and education
"It was well attended, and I feel it was very successful," Beverstein said. "It was a collaboration of our SCORE volunteers along with students from the Business Club at YHC that made it such a success. The event would not have been as successful without YHC students and the support of the College."
The half-day event brought in business owners and representatives from the local area, including Union and Towns counties.
"This was the first SCORE event with the college. We do hope to have more events to connect local business owners with SCORE mentors, our students, the BUSP department, and the college," said Dr. Nathan Gray, chair of YHC's Business and Public Policy department. "The YHC Business Club worked tirelessly with SCORE and the club's faculty advisor, Ian Oxman, to organize the event. It was an incredible amount of work for the club and Mia in particular, so she and the leaders of the club deserve special recognition for their role in the event. It is, of course, our hope that small business owners achieve their goals with the help of SCORE mentors and will call upon our students for internships, class projects, and jobs."
Oxman echoed that sentiment: "This successful seminar serves as an example of the resources available to local business owners from SCORE and from Young Harris College business students. We aim to bring more business education opportunities to the local community and directly involve YHC students with more local businesses."
About Young Harris College
Young Harris College is a private baccalaureate and master's degree-granting institution located in the beautiful mountains of North Georgia. Founded in 1886 and historically affiliated with The United Methodist Church, Young Harris College educates, inspires, and empowers students through an education that purposefully integrates the liberal arts and professional studies. The College has four academic divisions: Fine Arts; Humanities; Mathematics, Science, and Technology; and Professional Studies. Approximately 1,400 students are enrolled in its residential and Early College programs. The College is an active member of the NCAA Division II and remains a fierce competitor in the Conference Carolinas. For more information, visit yhc.edu.