New York Jets' guard Pete Kendall is among 28 NFL players enrolled in theNFL Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program at the Harvard Business School and Jets long-snapper/tight end James Dearth is among 36 NFL players enrolled in theNFL Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
The program is part of an ongoing NFL-NFLPA initiative to assist players in preparing for their post-playing careers.
The Harvard Business School and Wharton School programs are three-day programs for players starting February 25 and continue the coursework with an additional three-day session in early April.
Player enrollment criteria include level of education, professional business experience, interest in starting, owning, or managing a business, and leadership and community involvement. Under the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement, players may be reimbursed for up to $15,000 this year for education expenses at an accredited institution of higher learning.
The HBS program emphasizes entrepreneurial opportunities and business management. Content includes financial analysis, marketing strategies, selected general business skills and legal, and contractual and tax considerations. Using the case method, participants learn how to work together to resolve problems similar to the ones they face in business. During the break between the two sessions, players develop a business plan that they discuss with HBS faculty members when they return to campus.
The Wharton program focuses on a broad range of business topics, including financial analysis, entrepreneurship, real estate development, stock market investing, negotiation skills, risk management, and community reinvestment. Attendees work on directed as well as individual real estate, entrepreneurial and personal finance projects during the month between the program's two sessions.
