Program Overview

If you’ve ever thought about running your own business, inventing something new, or being part of a movement to create change in the world, Bossgirls is for you! You’ll join a community of girls like yourself to discover entrepreneurship. 

Teamed up with other bossgirls, you’ll learn how to analyze a problem and find business opportunities within it. Our curriculum puts the customer first, introducing you to a human-centered design approach to problem-solving. At the end of the program, you’ll pitch your idea -- think Shark Tank without the sharks. You will also join a welcoming community of like-minded peers, inspiring entrepreneurs and supportive mentors.

And just so your parents know... our goal is to introduce entrepreneurship to you as not only a possible career path, but a mindset that advances any course of learning. Plus, having this on your resume or college application looks great!

Bossgirls Summer Program

Bossgirls is a summer entrepreneurship program from the Zahn Innovation Center at The City College of New York (CCNY) for high school (current 9th-12th graders) girls and nonbinary students. This FREE program is fully sponsored by Standard Chartered Bank, as part of its Futuremakers Initiative. There is NO FEE to participate.

*Please note that this is an education enrichment program, not an internship, and thus we don’t provide any stipend. Check out the accomplishments of our 2025 cohort here.

The 2026 summer program will be hosted in-person at The City College of New York (160 Convent Avenue, New York, NY 10031).
The schedule is as follows (subject to change):

• 5 week program: Monday, June 29, 2026 to Thursday, July 30, 2026
• Schedule
  • Mondays - Thursdays
  • Week 1 & Week 5: 10am - 3pm
  • Week 2, 3 & 4: 10am - 1pm

Who Should Apply

Please carefully review our eligibility requirements:

• Current high school girls and nonbinary students (9th - 12th graders)
  • If you are currently in 12th grade and will be out of high school this summer, you are still eligible.
  • If you are currently in 8th grade, please consider applying next year.
• Residents of the NY tri-state region and can commute to CCNY campus this summer
• Can commit to the full duration of the program

We look for students who can think critically, communicate clearly and collaborate with others. Strong applicants should demonstrate their motivation for the program and curiosity about entrepreneurship, business and creative problem solving, though no prior experience is required. They should also be open-minded, responsible, empathetic and community-minded. **Real human reviewers are reading the incoming applications, so please draft your own application. We strongly discourage submissions generated by any AI tools. We would like to get to know who you are, and the power to share that resides within you.

Virtual Info Sessions

Have questions? Want to learn more about the program? Register for one of our virtual info sessions.

• January 21, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
• February 5, 5:30pm - 6:30pm

Application Deadlines

Apply Now - Deadline is February 28

Application closes on Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 11:59pm ET. If you have any questions please email contact@zahncenternyc.com