DANBURY – Immaculate High School is giving its students a leg up on learning real life practical business skills and exposing them to the fast-evolving world of technology. The Catholic high school’s new Business Innovation Center will provide such an education.
“Business education should feel like the real world,” said Wendy Neil, head of school. “Now, thanks to the help of our alumni, community and partners, our students will practice the skills that colleges and employers value most.”
Recognizing the rise of high school and college students pursuing careers in the business industry, Immaculate responded by offering cutting edge resources to enhance their student body’s academic success and prepare them for college, a career, and leadership.
“The business world is increasingly grappling with complex ethical dilemmas, particularly around the use of artificial intelligence (AI),” said Neil. “Addressing these challenges requires more than technical expertise – it demands a foundation rooted in ethics, empathy and service. Immaculate’s Business Innovation Center is uniquely positioned to prepare students for this reality, according to Neil. It will do so by fostering a learning environment grounded in responsibility, compassion and reverence.
The space is designed for hands-on business education, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Some of its features include collaborative workstations, presentation technology, stock market trading simulation through Interactive Brokers software and flexible areas for project development modeled after real-world environments.
“Providing students with a learning space and resources that creates a real-world experience inspires engaged learning,” said Neil. The center is a former classroom that was re-designed and includes a glass wall. “We were blessed to get the software at no cost to the school. We purchased the commodities ticker, chairs, tables, and TV’s for display. The largest cost was opening up the wall to give the room a more professional atmosphere with the glass wall.”
Funding was provided by Immaculate alumni Chris Palmer, Class of 1968 who is a former NFL coach, and Rob O’Neill, Class of 1991, CFO of pharmaceutical company Viatris, along with an anonymous donor who championed the center since its inception.
“I think this is yet another thing that sets Immaculate apart from other schools,” said Palmer. “If you come for a visit and have any inkling for doing something in business, this center is going to jump out at you. I think it’s going to take off – and it’s fun!”
The center serves as a valuable resource for teachers. “When I’m teaching an accounting class and kids ask me about stocks, I can reference the ticker now,” said George Bielizna, business teacher at Immaculate. “It’s all live and they can watch it. It gives them a feeling that they are close to Wall Street and it’s constantly moving, so it makes students feel connected to a larger world out there.”
The Business Innovation Center will be utilized during the school day for classes in the school’s business departments, serve as the hub for the Business and Entrepreneurship Club, and host a planned speaker’s series.
“We will be bringing in leading professionals from the business fields to share their expertise with students,” said Neil.
The new facility is part of Immaculate’s ongoing investment in advanced academic and career spaces. Recent additions include a state-of-the-art eSports Lab, Certified Nursing Assistant Clinical Room and renovated science and fitness facilities.
