Donation Will Support National Growth While Integrating Intuit’s Financial Products
NEW YORK, April 21, 2020 – Virtual Enterprises International, a national education nonprofit, today announced a multi-year grant from Intuit, maker of TurboTax, QuickBooks and Mint. Virtual Enterprises provides students with authentic business experiences and career-readiness skills through a year-long program in simulated business ownership and management.
Intuit is committed to increasing career readiness and helping students build a prosperous future by developing 21st century skills through entrepreneurship and personal finance education. The multi-year grant will offer support of up to $1 Million dollars to facilitate the growth of Virtual Enterprises programming, as well as provide enhanced curriculum for students.
Curriculum improvements will center around the integration of Intuit’s products, QuickBooks and TurboTax, as well as Intuit’s ‘Design for Delight’ process which uses design thinking methodology to help students learn how to approach authentic business problems. During the 2020-21 school year, the curriculum will expand to include the integration of Mint, Intuit’s personal finance application, giving students the opportunity to manage simulated personal finances with a real-world tool. More than 16,000 students have already leveraged these tools as a part of the VE program, and the continued partnership will improve the learning experience for approximately 20,000 students in the upcoming year.
Teacher professional development will also be a key component of the program. Training, resources and ongoing support will be paramount to effectively deliver quality educational experiences for VE students as educators are eager to bring design thinking and practical simulations into their classroom experience. Additionally, the partnership with Intuit will build upon pilot competitions designed to challenge students to use design thinking to solve business or community problems, demonstrate proficiency in finance and accounting, and showcase how to manage a successful enterprise, while also building overall student confidence through a competitive setting.
“It’s incredibly inspiring to see Intuit, a dynamic VE partner for the past two years, continually help us to expand the VE experience to integrate real-world tools and honing skills that are in high demand in today’s workplace,” said Nick Chapman, president of Virtual Enterprises International. “In this difficult time, they are still working to support our students even as the world stops around us. We are grateful for their dedication to our students and our mission to prepare all young people for the future of work.”
“Based on the positive impact we have already witnessed with students globally, we feel great pride in offering this multi-year grant to Virtual Enterprises as our commitment to help expand their education programs,” said Dave Zasada, Vice President, Corporate Responsibility, Intuit. ‘We are pleased that our core products and design thinking methodology are more effectively supporting student learning by bringing a real-world authenticity to both the VE curriculum and student experience. Together, we are helping students grow in courage and confidence by building in-demand and transferable career skills to forge a successful future.”
About VE
Virtual Enterprises International (VE) is a national nonprofit that transforms students through authentic business experiences which prepare them for fulfilling, financially secure futures. Since the inception of the Virtual Enterprises (VE) program in 1996, it has served over 160,000 high school students, including many from economically disadvantaged communities. In 2015, VE introduced the VE-JV Career Academy, a similar two-year program which enables 7th and 8th grade students to develop technology and entrepreneurial skills by starting and managing business ventures.
About Intuit
Intuit’s mission is to Power Prosperity Around the World. We are a global financial platform company with products includingTurboTax, QuickBooks, Mint and Turbo, designed to empower consumers, self-employed and small businesses to improve their financial lives. Our platform and products help customers get more money with the least amount of work, while giving them complete confidence in their actions and decisions. Our innovative ecosystem of financial management solutions serves approximately 50 million customers worldwide. Please visit us for the latest news and in-depth information about Intuit and its brands and find us on social.
PRESS CONTACTS:
For VEI:
Rossana Weitekamp
917-363-2510
rweite@gmail.com
For Intuit:
Scott Fulmer
415-309-1911
scott_fulmer@intuit.com