Faculty volunteers will offer online support to contestants worldwide in the second annual Talent and Innovation Competition of the Americas

University of Maryland University College (UMUC) and the Young Americas Business Trust (YABT)-a nonprofit corporation working in cooperation with the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States and the host of the second annual Talent and Innovation Competition of the Americas (TIC Americas)-are proud to announce a partnership that will match TIC Americas contestants with online faculty mentors from the university.

TIC Americas offers young people worldwide an opportunity to develop business ideas and present them to a diverse international audience. More than 30 UMUC faculty members from a wide variety of disciplines have volunteered to serve as online mentors to TIC Americas contestants, answering questions, providing industry and technical know-how, helping with organizational strategies, editing business plans, evaluating team presentations, and helping contestants establish the networks necessary for their projects to succeed in the long term.

"At UMUC, we couldn't be more pleased or proud to be able to offer support and guidance to the fine young men and women whose talent and creativity are showcased in TIC Americas and ideas promise a brighter future for all of us," said UMUC President Susan C. Aldridge. "UMUC's reputation as an international leader in online education makes this a perfect fit for the university."

"UMUC's collaboration with YABT in TIC Americas 2008 is one of the most significant contributions we have received," said Mr. Roy Thomasson, CEO of YABT. "It will enormously benefit the finalists and participants as well as introduce them to excellent educational resources and people. I hope this will be the first of many more opportunities to collaborate with the OAS."

TIC Americas contestants will be able to meet and consult with faculty mentors in a dedicated online "classroom" in WebTycho, UMUC's proprietary, Web-based course-delivery platform.
The classroom will remain open and accessible until the close of the competition. The 2008 TIC Americas finals will be held in Medellín, Colombia, in May as an official activity of the XXXVIII OAS General Assembly.

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About UMUC
University of Maryland University College (UMUC) is the second-largest university in Maryland, serving 90,000 students and offering 132 undergraduate and graduate programs online and on-site. In addition, UMUC is the 12th-largest degree-granting university in the United States and one of the largest public providers of online higher education in the nation. The university offers face-to-face instruction at 21 locations across Maryland and educational services at more than 120 locations overseas. As demand grows for flexible, high-quality degree programs, the University System of Maryland Board of Regents projects that UMUC's enrollments will grow by 101 percent by 2015. For more information, visit www.umuc.edu.

About TIC Americas and YABT
The Talent and Innovation Competition of the Americas offers an opportunity for young people worldwide to develop and present their business ideas to a diverse international audience. These initiatives will develop the extraordinary business potential of innovative young entrepreneurs and scientists, in collaboration with sponsors globally and from the 34 member states of the Organization of American States (OAS). For more information, visit www.ticamericas.net.

Young Americas Business Trust (YABT), a private sector initiative working in cooperation with the General Secretariat of the OAS, offers opportunities to reinforce young entrepreneur programs through corporate marketing campaigns visibly and tangibly to (1) connect with the future of business in the Americas and globally and the extraordinary potential that enterprising young entrepreneurs embody; and (2) be recognized globally and in the context of the OAS as leading young entrepreneurs and corporate citizens of the Americas. For more information, visit www.ybiz.net.

To acces the Mentoring Program, please visit: http://www.umuc.edu/diversity/ticmentor/