Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi is the title sponsor for the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Social Business Challenge, which gives teams of students the opportunity to showcase their ideas, creativity and ingenuity as they present plans for businesses focused on reducing obesity and related health issues rather than making a profit.

Each team has developed a business plan, which will be presented to the judges in a brief oral presentation at the Institutions of Higher Learning Board Room, 3825 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, on Wednesday, February 10, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. The Awards Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, February 10, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. in the Second Floor Rotunda at the State Capitol.

Open to any public university student, the challenge requires students to work in teams of three to six with at least one faculty adviser. Eleven teams, representing each public university, Alcorn State University's School of Agriculture, Research, Extension and Applied Sciences, Mississippi State University's Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine and the University of Mississippi Medical Center, will compete. The teams may enlist the assistance of professionals or alumni that have expertise in the topic or in building a business plan.

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The Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning governs the public universities in Mississippi, including Alcorn State University; Delta State University; Jackson State University; Mississippi State University including the Mississippi State University Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine; Mississippi University for Women; Mississippi Valley State University; the University of Mississippi including the University of Mississippi Medical Center; and the University of Southern Mississippi.