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COHORT GRADUATE: Mara Cunningham, founder of Yo! Crash and a client of the Minority Business Assistance Center, an Ohio Department of Development program hosted at YBI, has graduated from Goldman Sachs' One Million Black Women Black in Business Cohort 9.
The program is a national business education program held at Goldman Sachs' New York headquarters. Cunningham was one of 305 entrepreneurs selected for Cohort 9 out of thousands of applicants, an acceptance rate of about 6%. The cohort collectively represents more than $25 million in revenue and completed 100 hours of coursework taught by professors from the NYU Stern School of Business, covering scaling operations, automation, and financial management.
"Graduating from the Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women Black in Business Cohort 9 alongside 305 phenomenal women at the New York headquarters has been a transformative milestone for Yo! Crash and my journey as an entrepreneur," Cunningham said.
Yo! Crash is an industry-leading mobile rage room delivering innovative stress relief through safe, purposeful destruction. Serving colleges, corporations, and communities, the company leverages years of experience to create inclusive, thoughtfully designed environments that help participants unwind, reset, and recharge across the nation.
For more information about Yo! Crash, visit yocrash.com or call 330-240-7882.
COMMITTEE NAMED: America Makes, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute in Youngstown, has announced newly elected members of its executive committee.
The executive committee, made up of the brightest minds from industry, academia, government, workforce and economic development organizations, ensures that the appropriate strategy, policy and advocacy are in place for America Makes to achieve its mission -- to accelerate the adoption of additive manufacturing and the nation's global manufacturing competitiveness. Members understand the current and future state of the industry and provide counsel to the Institute on data management and IP policy, technical scope, membership value and outreach, ecosystem development and partnership strategies, workforce education and training, and support strategic growth efforts.
The committee, which meets regularly, consists of three appointed government representatives and eight representatives elected from three sectors within its membership community, including nonprofit, academia and industry. Each elected member serves a two-year term.
Taking part are Brett Connor, Ph.D.; Sandra DeVincent Wolf, Ph.D.; Brian Fisher, Ph.D.; Jonaaron Jones; Mark Norfolk; Hector Sandoval; Mark Shaw and Mike Vasquez, Ph.D.
Government representatives are Paul Gradl, Ph.D., Laura Macht and Paul Witherell, Ph.D.
STATE-SPONSORED INTERNSHIPS: As part of its ongoing effort to support technological companies and create a pipeline of dynamic talent, the Ohio Department of Development's Third Frontier initiative is preparing for the upcoming round of a state-sponsored internship program that will benefit interested companies and students.
Through the College Technology Internship Program, companies which are technology-based or have a technological need are matched with students looking to grow their careers in Ohio's growing technology sector through a paid internship.
Company applications are being accepted until Aug. 28, and students may apply from Sept. 1-25.
Internships for this round can occur between Nov. 1, 2026, and April 30, 2027.
"The College Technology Internship Program opens doors for students while helping companies tap into the tech talent that fuels growth," said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Department of Development and chair of the Third Frontier Commission. "It's building the workforce that will keep Ohio at the forefront of innovation."
The program reimburses companies for two-thirds of an intern's wages -- up to $7,500 -- and the company can hire as many as 10 interns per round. The minimum wage for interns is $15 per hour but can exceed that amount. Through 18 rounds of the program, 1,665 interns have been hired.
Ohio residents attending college anywhere in the United States are encouraged to apply, and non-Ohio residents attending school in Ohio also are eligible.
Visit the program website to apply as a company or student, or email collegetechintern@development.ohio.gov for more information.
HERE'S THE BUZZ: Sweet Memories Vintage Tees and Golden Age Vintage Marketplace, 1282 Trumbull Ave., Girard, will celebrate National Honey Bee Weekend from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 15-16.
The two-day event will bring together local businesses, artisans and community partners for a weekend celebrating honey bees, pollinators and the important role they play in our environment.
As part of the weekend, Sweet Memories is partnering with the Rotary Club of Youngstown and Operation Pollination to help raise awareness about protecting pollinator habitats. Special Operation Pollination T-shirts will be available, with 20% of proceeds donated to Operation Pollination.
"We wanted to create a weekend that's fun for families while also giving people a reason to learn more about the pollinators behind so many of the flowers and foods we enjoy every day," said Mandi Clark, Event Coordinator and owner of Sonshine Blooms (a booth inside Golden Age Vintage Market). "It's also a great opportunity to support local businesses and experience everything Sweet Memories and Golden Age Market have to offer."
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