Volunteer, Leadership & Enrichment, & Career Opportunities

The Counseling Department posts these opportunities as they are received. Many of these programs are repeated annually, however parents and students should check with the organization directly for the most up to date information. By clicking on any of these links you will be leaving the UCFSD web page.

Leadership & Enrichment

John Hopkins University - SUMMER OPEN HOUSE REGISTRATION IS OPEN.

AUGUST 8–9

VIRTUAL SESSIONS 11 A.M.–7:30 P.M. EASTERN

Beginning today, students can register for our upcoming virtual Summer Open House. The program is a great way to discover what it's really like to be a part of the Hopkins community by connecting with current students, admissions counselors, alumni, and professors.

We're hosting several sessions throughout the weekend, giving students the opportunity to explore the topics and campus resources that will be most helpful in the college search process.

Loyola University Maryland

Virtual Experiences
Designed exclusively for rising juniors and seniors, these exciting programs will help guide your students through the college search and application process, and help them learn more about Loyola.

Online Workshops - learn how to write the perfect college essay, receive tips on how to ace your next admission interview, and learn how to search for and apply to the best colleges for you.
General Information Sessions - hear from admission counselors as they discuss academic and student life, and the admission and financial aid process at Loyola.
1-on-1 Video Chats - have a personal conversation with one of our admission counselors about your journey to becoming a Greyhound.

For these and other online opportunities, we invite your students to visit our virtual experiences page.

ImagineU - New Gap Year

During COVID, the idea of a Gap Year has been everywhere. Recent high school graduates kept asking about Gap Years as they were disappointed about their online learning experience during the spring, or not interested in starting college away from campus. While international travel has not generally been an option during COVID, there are so many other ways to have a meaningful and positive year. Here is what some of my students are doing this fall!

Understanding the business side of dance by interning (in-person) at a local dance studio, teaching some dance classes, and helping organize dance competitions
Working at a local thrift shop, and doing an online internship with a non-profit in Morocco working on LGBTQ rights and taking French language lessons.
Participating in a Spain-based online program exploring issues of cultural difference through the food we eat
Helping a group of kindergartners socialize, make art and play games after school
Serving as a teaching assistant in a home-based pod of elementary students, helping the children focus on learning during Zoom classes
Exploring the U.S. with structured Gap Year programs, primarily in more remote locations in the western, Rocky Mountain, southwestern and eastern states
Supporting election issues, including an internship with the Heritage Fund in Washington DC

The Gap Year Solutions blog provides additional updates and possibilities for spring 2021.

Better Gap Year Data

This month we want to highlight two areas relating to Gap Year data.

First, Gap Year Solutions recently had the opportunity to speak with Bob Clagett. Bob has over 45 years of experience at both ends of the college admissions process, most of them working at colleges. Working within Harvard College Admissions and Financial Aid for 21 years planted the seed for him to seek out more information about Gap Years. (Bob also spent time at Middlebury College, which is a big supporter of Gap Years.) He knew from his own experience that a Gap Year could be beneficial. However, Bob found there wasn’t much hard data available on Gap Year outcomes, so he founded the Gap Year Research Consortium at Colorado College. Read our interview with Bob here.

Second, we will be running our 2nd annual Gap Year survey to estimate the number of graduating high school seniors taking Gap Years. In 2019 we had 40 schools respond across 12 states. These schools reported that an average of 2.6% of the graduating class took a Gap Year. Our goal this year is 100 schools so that we can begin reporting the data at MSA or county levels (and for those reporting schools, you will receive the full dataset this year). The data may be more difficult to interpret this year since so many students elected to take a Gap Year long after the usual deadlines in May/June. (We are still fielding Gap Year inquiries from rising first years – in fact several this week as Northwestern just switched to fully online classes.) Keep an eye out for a separate survey email from us, and thanks in advance for your participation!

Disrupting Higher Education

There has been a great deal written about how the pandemic is causing immediate disruption within U.S. higher education. There is also useful commentary about potentially permanent changes coming to U.S. colleges and universities from systemic problems (rising costs and affordability) and changing demographics (11% decline in enrollment since 2011) exacerbated by the pandemic and accelerated by employer trends. Here are some thought leaders and publications we have found particularly enlightening on this topic:

Michael Horn (author of Choosing College and lots of writing on this topic)
Scott Galloway (see other posts on his website and Twitter feed)
Harvard Business Review (What the shift to virtual learning could mean for the future of higher ed)
McKinsey (How should US higher education plan for an uncertain future)
Chronicle of Higher Education (The future of the academic workforce)

We are excited to announce that our Founder, Katherine Stievater, has been accredited as a Professional Gap Year Counselor by the national Gap Year Association! According to the Gap Year Association announcement, "Accreditation represents a commitment to the highest standards in safety, quality, and integrity. Accredited counselors have agreed to consistently abide by the Standards of the Gap Year Association. Katherine has demonstrated a thorough understanding of gap year planning that is rooted in experience with a significant number of students." Katherine is thrilled to receive this recognition and is looking forward to continuing to provide exceptional Gap Year planning services to students and families!

Event Schedule

While in-person presentations are not possible at the moment, Gap Year Solutions continues to deliver on its educational mission by partnering with other college resource providers and libraries throughout the U.S. to host podcasts and informational webinars. Since these are online, they are open to anyone from anywhere in the world to join. We invite school counselors to join these sessions, and of course we welcome you spreading the word to your students and families!

September 3rd (released) - Thinking About a Gap Year? College Scoops Podcast Episode #26.

September 16th - Navigating the New College Landscape. Free webinar with Don McMillan, CEO of McMillan Education, Katherine Stievater, Founder of Gap Year Solutions, Elizabeth Pyle, Founder of College Success Plan, and Moira McCullough, Founder of College Scoops. 7:00PM ET. Register here.

September 28th - Why Gap Years Matter More Than Ever! Free webinar hosted by Ridgewood Public Library, Ridgewood, NJ. 7:00PM ET. Register here.

October 15th - Taking a Gap Year: Is It Right For You? Free webinar hosted by Wellesley Free Library, Wellesley, MA. 7:00PM ET. Register here.

October 27 - 29th - Annual Gap Year Conference. More information here.

Featured College Resource

We thought it would be helpful to occasionally highlight complementary resources that help students before, during and after the college planning process. This month we focus on Chicago-based College Success Plan.

For over 10 years, College Success Plan has been helping college students at any stage or in any year experience less stress and achieve better grades, higher confidence and a clearer path to independence. Its interactive, online platform is designed for convenience, teaches valuable, lifelong skills and empowers families by providing superior individualized support and systematic feedback. Its team of highly trained mentors keeps students focused, accountable, efficient and on track. Students look forward to weekly sessions that help them stay on task and in control! For more information or to subscribe to their newsletter click here.

TeenLife's Guide to Online Summer Programs

Summer 2020 will be unlike any summer that any of us has experienced! Despite the changing landscape, we remain extremely committed to connecting middle and high school students to meaningful academic and enrichment experiences in whatever format they are offered!

Thankfully, there are a growing number of interesting online courses and virtual ways of meaningfully engaging students if they are unable to leave home or travel. TeenLife's Guide to Online Summer Programs includes several that are eager to enroll students. More online summer programs are listed on our website.

Muhlenberg College

Curious about college exploration in general? Looking to gather information to demystify your college search and application journey? Join members of the Muhlenberg College admissions team for one or more specific workshops! Topics include and are not limited to:

How to do a virtual college search
Tips for completing the Common Application
How to prepare for a successful college interview
Athletics in college admissions
Understanding the financial aid process

Do any topics pique your interest? Access this link to register for Workshop Wednesday sessions with the Muhlenberg Admissions office.

Columbia University

Columbia University offers engaging and immersive online summer programs with 90 curricular options—all designed to set students up for their future academic success. Here’s why our community is the best opportunity for your students during this unique and challenging time:

Columbia University is a leader in online learning and interaction.
Students learn from scholars and practitioners who are experts in their fields.
They receive personal attention from their instructors.
Participants can choose a variety of extracurricular activities led by current University students.
Students develop friendships and important contacts with peers from around the world.

We have some upcoming information sessions about the program and encourage you to check out the program details on our website.

Gap Year Solutions

Gap Year Solutions decided to take the lead in designing a set of structured virtual activities for Gap Year students. Parents especially have been telling us that they want to make sure that if their students defer college admission for another year, they have an intentional plan and structure in the way they spend their time. So we are excited to be launching ImagineU, the first virtual experience of its kind for Gap Year students! We built this experience with certain key principles in mind: Gap Year activities must keep students socially connected, provide mentorship, support diverse interests and goals, enable students to own their experience, and allow the students to have fun.

ImagineU supplements jobs, and service opportunities and volunteer work that is available in a student’s local community. Gap Year Solutions will be helping these students build their Gap Year Plan, and will help them combine ImagineU activities with local in-person activities to create an experience that meets their interests and goals for their Gap time.

All students will participate in some of the virtual activities, while others will be self-guided and students will choose areas of interest. ImagineU virtual activities cover the following areas:

Online internships sourced by Gap Year Solutions
Online guest speaker series developed by Gap Year Solutions
Capstone project delivered at conclusion of semester
Proprietary online skill-building sessions
Online options to focus on mental and physical well-being
Weekly online Gap Chats with all students for connection
Weekly one-on-one check-ins with ImagineU students by Mentor
Online learning opportunities (language and university courses)
Online life skills learning
Virtual tours

ImagineU will begin on September 14 and run through December 11, 2020. More information is available here or www.gapyearsolutions.com/services

Boston University Summer Journalism Institute

Last week, Boston University made a difficult decision to suspend all in-person summer programming on campus to keep students and staff safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our hearts were saddened by the thought of not teaching journalism to high school students this summer. Then, we thought: if journalists can keep reporting, then, why can't we?

With the help of Zoom and other technology, we decided to offer our Boston University Summer Journalism Institute as an online non-credit course. Students will still have the opportunity to:

Work with award-winning journalists, such as Pulitzer Prize winners (and BU alumna) Lara Salahi and Rochelle Sharpe, who show them how to follow facts and get to the heart of stories affecting communities
Hear from guest speakers in the field while learning important journalism tips when covering a crisis
Connect with students in different parts of the world and time zones
Have at least one article published to our Terrier website to showcase their work

Our photojournalism session, taught by veteran photojournalist and COM professor Stephen Haines, will also be online. Haines worked as a staff photographer, assignment, and photo editor for the Boston Globe. In this special session, he will help students sharpen their camera skills to teach them the basics of visual storytelling.

New Dates and a New Time:
Now that we switched over to an online format, the program tuition was reduced to $1,200. We also have changed the dates of our sessions to the following:

Session 1a: July 6 to July 17
Session 1b: July 6 to July 17 (Photojournalism)
Session 2: July 20 to July 31

Our online classes will start at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time (9:30 a.m. Pacific Time) to accommodate our students in different time zones. We will also record the sessions to make them available to students who may need to see them at a later time.

If your student is ready for a challenge and ready to get a taste of reporting during a crisis, encourage them to learn more by visiting our website, and apply soon, as spots are limited. The final deadline for submitting an application for admission is June 1, 2020.

Temple University Summer Programs

This summer, your students can explore some of the fields of study available at Temple University while they're still in high school by attending a pre-college program.

They'll experience our vibrant urban campus in Philadelphia, make new friends, and get a head start on their college experiences. Our customizable two- and four-week programs allow students to:

Immerse themselves in hands-on workshops in sports management, debate, public health, coding, psychology, law, art, political science, business, advertising, and more.
Live on campus and try out what it's like to be a college student
Build lifelong friendships
Develop their sense of independence
Earn college credit and secure a Temple tuition grant*

Visit https://summer.temple.edu/precollege for more information

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Conference

SOPHOMORES: Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Conference to be held February 7-9th 2020 at the Freedom Foundations in Valley Forge, PA. There are two steps to complete if you are looking to be considered for this opportunity. First step, please contact Mr. Findora (rfindora@ucfsd.net) for necessary application/documentation and return a completed application (including copies of insurance cards -front and back), medical form, photo release, and cancellation fee acknowledgement) to the Counseling Center by December 19th, 2019 to be considered for a spot in the RYLA conference. All signatures are required for the applications to be complete. Please do NOT mail any of your application paperwork to anyone, you are to turn the paperwork into the secretaries in the counseling center. Second step, CLICK HERE and scroll to the bottom to complete the online registration (also due by December 19th, 2019). Unionville is allotted twelve spots at RYLA; we will notify you by January 10th 2020, if you are selected to represent UHS at RYLA.

Please access the link below for more information on the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Conference.

http://rotarydistrict7450.org/ryla

Like HOBY, you need to be able to commit to this leadership weekend (Feb. 7th-9th, 2020). Please talk it over with your parent or guardian and review your calendar (please consider sports schedules and other extracurricular and family commitments when making your decision). If you are interested in attending, please complete all sections of the attached application . Again, all application materials are due by December 19th, 2019. Late applications will not be accepted.

HOBY Youth Leadership Conference- Application for UHS Ambassador

The Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership mission is to provide lifelong leadership development opportunities that empower individuals to achieve their highest potential. The 3 day leadership seminar motivates and develops future leaders by preparing them for leadership positions in their school and helps them expand the talents that will serve them and their community in the future.

The purpose of the seminar is to give students the opportunity to meet, interact and learn from regionally, nationally and internationally renowned leaders in business, government, and education. Find out more about the great opportunities and wonderful experience the HOBY organization offers to our students at the HOBY Youth Leadership Conference (www.hoby.org- refer to the site for information, but do not register).

All sophomores are eligible to apply. Two UHS student ambassadors will be selected.

The selection committee is looking for candidates who strive to motivate and empower other students to make a positive difference within our global society through understanding and action. Through words and actions, these candidate must practice effective and compassionate leadership. The UHS ambassadors will be selected based on leadership ability, sensitivity to others, and the desire to communicate your knowledge to your peers. The essay is part of the selection process.

In 500-600 words, please describe the most rewarding or challenging aspect of being a leader in your community, and how you demonstrate the qualities of leadership that the HOBY ambassador should embody.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 18th, 2019

CONFERENCE DATES: JUNE 5th- JUNE 7th, 2020

Click here to submit an application for the HOBY Youth Leadership Conference

MERCY COLLEGE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

SUMMER LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

The Leadership Academy at Mercy College is geared towards students who have a passion for business and demonstrated leadership and public speaking skills.

We invite you to nominate your students to apply to our Summer Leadership Academy. Last year we received over 1,000 nominations from around the country from which we accepted 200 students to attend.

Previous Unionville attendees include: Skyler Lambert, Samantha Mariani, Jennifer Gilpin, Spencer Kramer, Amanda Denucci

The weeklong Academy is held at our Westchester campus on the Hudson River and students visit our Manhattan campus near Times Square. Students learn leadership lessons from leaders at top global companies, match a personality assessment to potential careers, and participate in team-building activities.

In addition, students visit Fortune 500 companies. Past visits have included Microsoft/LinkedIn, Disney/ESPN, PWC, and MTV, among others.

There is no charge for tuition and students stay in the dorm for free. Students simply need to provide their own transportation to and from campus, as well as a check in the amount of $300 for food.

CRITERIA:

· current juniors (rising seniors) with a passion for business

· cumulative, weighted, GPA above 90 (3.5 on 4.0 scale, 4.0 on 5.0 scale)

· demonstrated leadership activities and strong public speaking skills

We are accepting students on a rolling basis. As spots are limited, we encourage students to apply at their earliest convenience. Priority review will be given to students who apply by January 1, 2020, with guaranteed response within 10-14 business days.

Please submit your nominees via this link: Nominate: Leadership Academy at Mercy College

Erica Toretta

Leadership Academy at Mercy College

E: leadershipacademy@mercy.edu

P: 914.674.7482

F: 914.674.7493

Visit us at Leadership Academy at Mercy College for session dates, agenda items, and FAQs!

Volunteer Opportunities

Job Opportunities

2020 Census Jobs

It's not too late to apply for a temporary part-time position with the 2020 Census. Apply to earn extra income and help your community. Go to: https://2020census.gov/en/jobs.html

American Pool Lifeguards

American Pool has been connecting people to summer jobs since 1984! We’ve changed the way we let young people know about opportunities for training and work with American Pool’s Guard for Life Program and have recently opened up LIVE 10-minute info sessions to inform people about lifeguarding and our other job opportunities.
Here’s the link to the schedule of upcoming sessions as well as a flyer you can share. All attendees of the Virtual Live Info Sessions will be invited to apply for a position, schedule a one-on-one online interview and then begin the first portion of their American Red Cross Lifeguard Training online!

Video Production and General Computing Assistant

I have had the great pleasure of working with a STEM student since he was a Junior at Downingtown High on video production and general computing assistance. I cannot believe it but he is now graduating from Penn State (after a 6 year stint with SLEC), and I am looking for another interested student who Christian can train before he goes out into the wide world. Here is an example of some of the recognized work he has done with me: https://youtu.be/bNjaABH7DGM If interested, please contact Dr. Steven Siepser at SSiepser@siepservision.com.

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Volunteer, Leadership & Enrichment, & Career Opportunities

Leadership & Enrichment

John Hopkins University - SUMMER OPEN HOUSE REGISTRATION IS OPEN.

Loyola University Maryland

ImagineU - New Gap Year

Better Gap Year Data

Disrupting Higher Education

Event Schedule

Featured College Resource

TeenLife's Guide to Online Summer Programs

Muhlenberg College

Columbia University

Gap Year Solutions

Boston University Summer Journalism Institute

Temple University Summer Programs

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Conference

HOBY Youth Leadership Conference- Application for UHS Ambassador

MERCY COLLEGE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

SUMMER LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

Volunteer Opportunities

Job Opportunities

2020 Census Jobs

American Pool Lifeguards

Video Production and General Computing Assistant