Friday, December 5, 2025
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce (SC Chamber) proudly celebrated the 40th Annual South Carolina Business Week from July 13th - July 18th, 2025. South Carolina Business Week provides rising high school juniors, seniors, and college freshmen an opportunity to engage with business professionals, professors, and peers to learn about business through a hands-on, immersive experience at USC's Darla Moore School of Business.
More than 30 business executives from across the state taught current business topics and leadership skills as students collaborated in an intensive program designed to develop a thorough understanding of the enterprise system. AJ Nelson, a member of the SC Chamber's Board of Directors and an executive at Century Aluminum, offered his expertise as a company advisor during Business Week this year and reflected on his time with the program saying, "I was truly pleased with my experience during Business Week. The professionalism of the staff was outstanding - they managed, coached, and supported the teenagers with excellence and care. It was inspiring to see the level of guidance and encouragement each student received throughout the program."
SC Business Week's 40th Annual Banquet celebrated the legacy and future success of this transformative program. Attendees heard from South Carolina business leaders including a keynote by Keller Kissam, South Carolina President of Dominion Energy, and long-standing Business Week volunteers were recognized. Additionally, the students in their 'companies' gave their final presentations and numerous student scholarships were awarded. For their projects during business week, the students were divided into five 'companies' and tasked with choosing leadership roles within their teams and coming up with a business plan for introducing a new WNBA team at a location of their choosing within the Carolinas. They then developed full-scale business models for this proposed basketball team encompassing financing, marketing/branding, and all logistical operations to bring their visions to life. Proposals were presented at SC Business Week's 40th Annual Banquet, where Company D was selected as the winning team by a panel of judges. The scholarship award winners were chosen from a competitive essay and interview process, and the top scholarship award winners will also be celebrated at the SC Chamber's 46th Annual Summit this October at the Wild Dunes Resort in Isle of Palms, SC.
Logan Peterson, a Business Week participant and student CEO of his company throughout last week, shared the impact of his experience, saying, "My experience at Business Week was nothing short of transformative. Stepping into the role of CEO was one of the most exciting and rewarding challenges I've ever taken on. It pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way possible and gave me a real sense of what leadership looks and feels like in a business environment... More than anything, Business Week helped me to see what is possible. It gave me a clear window into the kind of work I want to be doing and the kind of leader I hope to become. It made the future feel tangible, and it gave me a new level of confidence in my ability to make things happen. I am walking away not only with new knowledge but with the motivation and excitement to keep moving forward."
View all photos from Business Week 2025 here.
About SC Chamber
The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce is the State’s leading voice for business with a vision to make South Carolina’s economy the most vibrant in the United States, creating opportunity and prosperity for all. A statewide organization that fights for pro-job and business policies at the state and federal level, it strives to promote free enterprise; define and advocate for the business agenda; convene, connect, and educate businesses; and partner with key allies. Our member insights shape the policies we write and the agenda we promote at the State House. Learn more at http://www.scchamber.net.