News & Programs
News & Partner Profiles
Camille McKenzie
Every time Camille McKenzie and her daughter pass a construction site, the five-year-old says, “That’s where Mommy works!” “She’s proud of her mom,” says McKenzie, a laborer working for Turner Construction on the Rubenstein Forum building at 60th and Woodlawn.
J.R. Fleming
When J.R. Fleming arrived at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation for the first session of the Turner School of Construction Management in 2018, he was feeling skeptical. “I wondered if it was going to be smoke and mirrors,” he says, because as a...
Powers & Sons Construction Company: A Community Partner in Building Community
The University of Chicago celebrates the existing infrastructure and rich cultural assets of its adjacent communities.
Programs and Events
Polsky Small Business Growth Program
The University of Chicago’s Polsky Small Business Growth Program supports small businesses owners to help them grow and scale their businesses.
With funding from JPMorgan Chase, and in partnership with the Office of Civic Engagement, this program is focused on minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned small businesses located on Chicago’s South and West Sides.
Small teams of University of Chicago students consult with the companies to help them address key business challenges and determine new strategies for business growth.
POLSKY SMALL BUSINESS FINANCIAL FUNDAMENTALS
The Polsky Small Business Financial Fundamentals program helps business owners who are actively seeking to secure capital through a bank loan or other fundraising to have the financial documentation needed. This program leads entrepreneurs to refine their financial reporting, create financial projections, increase knowledge on access to capital, build business credit, and manage business finances. This program recruits business owners on Chicago’s South and West Sides, aiming to help better position small businesses to apply for capital.
POLSKY CENTER ENTREPRENEURSHIP ESSENTIALS
This workshop series is designed to help entrepreneurs launch their startup successfully, with workshops ranging in everything from marketing strategy, sales, competitive analysis, financial modeling, and more.
Turner School of Construction Management
The Turner School of Construction Management is a free, seven-week program led by Turner Construction, co-sponsored by the University of Chicago and held at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
The program is an intensive workshop designed to help minority- and women-owned construction businesses grow and succeed. Participants learn from industry experts about every aspect of running a construction business.