New CIE program pairs high school students with their parents, grandparents, or caregivers to turn business ideas into real ventures.
HARRISBURG, PA — Harrisburg University of Science and Technology’s (HU) Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) formally introduced Side Hustle School: Family Edition on Monday, Sept. 21, at a press event hosted by PMI at its offices in Camp Hill, PA. HU President Dr. Christopher M. Reber, CIE project coordinator Michael Hughes, and program instructor Jay Jayamohan were joined by various community partners, including PMI President Eric Kunkle. PMI is generously donating meeting space for the program itself, which begins in earnest on October 14.
“We spend a lot of time talking about preparing young people for the future,” Hughes said. “But what if we could give students an opportunity to begin building that future right now, and do it alongside their families?”
“What if we actually tried it?”
Side Hustle School is a seven-week, hands-on entrepreneurship program in which high school students work side by side with a parent, grandparent, or caregiver to identify a problem, develop an idea, and begin turning it into a real business.
Jayamohan, the CIE’s entrepreneur in residence, designed the curriculum and will teach the program. He opened his remarks by asking the audience how many had heard a young person say, “I have an idea,” and answered with, “That’s wonderful, but finish your homework first.”
“Side Hustle School begins in that small space between ‘I have an idea’ and ‘What if we actually tried it?’” Jayamohan said. “Think of it as Little League for future entrepreneurs.”
He offered another comparison, too. “You could also describe the experience as Build-A-Bear meets ‘Shark Tank,’” he said. “The difference is that instead of leaving with a teddy bear, they will leave with practical skills, greater confidence, and a working business idea.”
How it works
Families start by learning to spot problems worth solving. “Every successful venture starts there,” Jayamohan said, “not with a logo, a website, or a clever name, but with a real person experiencing a real problem.”
From there, families identify potential customers, test assumptions, design a business model, and learn financial literacy by answering practical questions. “What will it cost to create this product or service? What should we charge? How much must we sell? And are we actually making money?” Jayamohan said.
The curriculum also covers branding, marketing, social media, e-commerce, and pitching. “But this will not be seven weeks of sitting and listening to lectures,” he said. “Families will interview customers, work with coaches, test ideas, build prototypes, receive feedback, and make changes.”
The program ends with a community showcase, where families present what they’ve built. And if a first idea doesn’t survive the process, Jayamohan said, that’s part of the lesson. “That is not failure. That is entrepreneurship.”
Why families?
HU’s President Reber said he wasn’t aware of another program that brings students and their parents, grandparents, or caregivers together to learn the same skills and build the same venture. He pointed to the American saying, “shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations,” and similar proverbs from other cultures about family businesses that fade once they’re handed down.
“These families aren’t inheriting a business,” Reber said. “They’re building one together, which means the buy-in is there from the first day instead of having to be handed down.”
Jayamohan said each generation brings something different. “The student may understand social media better. The parent or grandparent may bring professional experience, community relationships, or practical judgment,” he said. “There may even be some spirited family negotiations about who gets to be the CEO.”
Why Harrisburg University
Reber tied the program directly to HU’s mission to empower society through science, technology, and innovation. “Simply put, talent is spread evenly across Central Pennsylvania,” he said. “Opportunity is not.”
“It is not ability, but access, that separates the individuals who act on that instinct from the ones who don’t,” Reber said.
He was clear about how the University will measure success. “We’ll measure it by the 16-year-old who, seven weeks from now, knows what it takes to get a business off the ground,” Reber said. “A student like that walks back into school a different person. It’s not the confidence of being told you can do something. It’s confidence from having done it.”
Jayamohan framed those skills as essential in an age of AI. “Technology still needs people who can ask better questions, recognize meaningful problems, exercise judgment, connect with others, and turn possibilities into action,” he said. “Entrepreneurial thinking is becoming a life skill.”
Side Hustle School is made possible by Presenting Sponsors Eric and Patrice Pettis, along with GFT and JPL Agency. “You backed this venture before the first family even applied,” said Reber, “and we thank you for your generosity and your belief in us.”
Apply now: The first cohort begins Oct. 14
The first Side Hustle School cohort begins Oct. 14, and space is limited. If your family has an idea for a business, a problem you’ve been itching to solve, or simply the drive to build something together, now is the time to apply.
As Jayamohan put it, families “do not need to arrive with a business plan. They do not need previous experience. They only need curiosity, commitment, and a willingness to try.” Learn more and apply at HarrisburgU.edu.
ABOUT HARRISBURG UNIVERSITY
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU) is an independent, nonprofit university in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, offering degrees in advanced manufacturing, analytics, biotechnology, cybersecurity, nursing, and other STEM fields. Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, HU serves a diverse student body through bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs that link research with practical application. Learn more at HarrisburgU.edu or contact us at Connect@HarrisburgU.edu or 717.901.5146 for more information about HU’s degree and professional development programs. Stay in the know by following Harrisburg University on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.
MEDIA CONTACT
Do you have questions about this story? Interested in lining up an interview? Please contact Dan Wilhelm, director of communications, at DWilhelm@HarrisburgU.edu or 717.901.5100 ext. 1724.
