Student Enterprise as a Pathway to Economic Opportunity - Global Career Tech Education Podcast Ep 79
- Sylvester Chisom
- Mar 31
- 2 min read
Student Enterprise as a Pathway to Economic Opportunity - Global Career Tech Education Podcast Ep 79
Audio:
As part of the Women in CTE Series, Samantha Lurie Carroll joins the Global CTE Podcast to share how student enterprise is expanding economic opportunity through one of the nation’s most powerful real-world learning models.
As Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Show Me The World Project, she has helped grow a classroom idea into a multi-city program where students earn workforce credentials, college credit, and global learning experiences while running real businesses.
This conversation explores how entrepreneurship, community partnerships, and international travel are helping students in St. Louis and Kansas City build the skills, confidence, and networks they need to shape their futures.
Topics Covered:
-Student enterprise builds economic opportunity
-Real-world learning beyond classroom walls
-Workforce credentials and college credit pathways
-Global travel expands student career vision
-Community partnerships strengthen CTE ecosystems
Samantha Lurie Carroll Bio:
Samantha Lurie Carroll is Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Show Me The World Project, a nationally recognized real-world learning model expanding economic opportunity for students through entrepreneurship, workforce readiness, and global education experiences. She began her career as a Special Education teacher and Dean of Students at Vashon High School in St. Louis, where she was named Special Education Teacher of the Year in 2015, and later served as Managing Director of Alumni Network Leadership at Teach For America Metro Atlanta, supporting educators driving innovation across school systems.
Under her leadership, Show Me The World Project has grown from a classroom-based initiative into a multi-city nonprofit serving students across St. Louis and Kansas City, with continued national expansion underway. Students in the program earn workforce credentials endorsed by regional employers, receive college credit, operate student enterprises, and participate in international learning experiences in Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, and Belize that expand their global perspective and career readiness.
Samantha’s work has helped position Show Me The World Project as one of the nation’s most powerful examples of experiential learning connected to economic mobility, with support from leading partners including the Kauffman Foundation.
Learn More About Show Me The World Project
Learn More about Show Me The Cause Coffee Fundraiser
Episode Links:
This episode is part of our special Women in CTE: Power, Pathways & the Future of Work series in recognition of Women’s History Month. Throughout the month, we’ll feature conversations with leaders who are helping shape the future of Career & Technical Education through innovation, leadership, and bold ideas. Stay tuned for the rest of the episodes as we continue highlighting the women driving impact across the CTE landscape.
-Sylvester Chisom
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