The Freshman Experience: Biz 1+2

Built for Success

A Two‑Semester Launchpad for Confidence, Community & Career Direction

At Saunders College of Business, students don’t wait years to “finally start business.” They start on day one. The Freshman Experience—Biz 1 and Biz 2—is a two‑semester sequence that brings every first‑year student together as a cohort to build community, master business fundamentals, and discover the academic and career path that fits them best. 

The program offers students consistency, building confidence through their student cohort and designated faculty members that go through the program together.

Key Biz 1+2 Benefits

• Builds a solid foundation and creates a clear runway for a successful transition from high school to business school.
• Establishes a tangible sense of community that is felt throughout the college, from first to fourth year students, faculty and alumni.
• Most importantly, students begin their business education not in year two or three—but on day one.

Foundations, Community & Entrepreneurial Thinking

Biz 1 is designed to help students get acclimated to college and a part of RIT while becoming emerging business thinkers. The course blends college acclimation, community building, and hands on business learning in a supportive, structured environment. The semester culminates with student teams pitching business plans to a panel of industry professionals.

Students learn how to:

• Manage time, navigate college expectations, and work effectively with new people
• Build friendships and feel at home as part of the RIT and Saunders community
• Understand the core functions of business—marketing, finance, operations, entrepreneurship
• Apply those fundamentals in an accessible entrepreneurial simulation
• Develop and pitch an original business idea that integrates all aspects of business
• Get feedback on pitches and interact with industry professionals serving as judges
• Establish comfort of working with a faculty mentor

By the end of Biz 1, students possess confidence with a strong foundation in business concepts, a sense of belonging, and a clearer understanding of what majors or career paths might excite them.

Functional Business Practice & Career Discovery

Biz 2 shifts from creating a business to running one. Students step into functional roles inside an existing company through the MikesBikes simulation, making real decisions that affect performance, teamwork, and strategy.

Students:

• Work in teams to learn how to collaborate, communicate, and lead within a business environment
• Operate a simulated company, taking on roles in marketing, finance, operations, and strategy
• Hear from guest speakers (industry professionals and alumni) whose real‑world roles mirror the decisions students are making in the simulation
• Explore academic majors and career paths through panels, mentoring, and reflection
• Confirm—or discover—the program of study that aligns with their strengths and interests

Biz 2 helps students understand themselves as emerging professionals. Whether they arrive with a major in mind or are still exploring, this semester gives them the clarity and confidence to move forward with purpose.

By the end of the first year, Saunders students have:

• A strong sense of community and belonging
• A portfolio‑ready pitch deck (Biz 1)
• Hands‑on experience running a company (Biz 2)
• A functional understanding of how business works
• Greater clarity about their academic and career direction

Spanning their first-year, fall and spring semesters, Biz 1+2 professors play a pivotal role by guiding them through Saunders' distinctive curriculum. The experience introduces students to all business disciplines, where they lay a solid foundation for their business education while exploring and confirming their choice of major. 

Throughout Biz 1+2 students gain real-world exposure to industry professionals. Judges and speakers are often alumni who relish returning to campus to share their knowledge with the next generation of Saunders students.

Business Pitch Insights

To conclude the fall semester, industry professionals serve as judges to provide real‑world insights, critiques, and guidance to student presentations.

Guest Speakers

Classroom visits in the spring give students direct access to real‑world business professionals and their perspectives.

Recent Participating Industry Professionals

• Lindsay Connelly BS’11, MBA’18: President at Linden Digital Marketing
• Ben Hart MBA’26: Realtor at Empire Realty Group
• Tom Marullo BS’77, MBA’79 :CFO at National Foundation to End Senior Hunger
• Joe Pecoraro MBA’96: Partner at Consiliarium Group, LLC
• Josiah Peterham BS’12: Founder at Flat Fee Advisors
• Carolyn Spencer BS’14, MBA’24 : Co-Founder at CoPivot
• Patrick Talty BS’92, MBA’02: President at IDI Billing Solutions
• Nick Testa MBA’04: Managing Partner at UDN, Inc.

Learn what the Biz 1 + 2 students have been up to at RIT in this interview with the Time Trimmers! These Saunders students developed a product idea and worked together to prepare a presentation of the research they collected. Additionally, get key insights into these students personal experiences of the Biz 1 + 2 class and how it has helped them in their business journeys at RIT.