For this year’s Collegiate Prep, the annual capstone experience for Boys Hope Girls Hope high school graduates, our collegians met virtually with a variety of professionals, Network team members, and above all, each other. The weeklong conference was designed to build confidence and increase understanding of what it means to go “Beyond All Limits” in the next phase of their journey to success. These aspiring collegians engaged in valuable group discussions and came away from Collegiate Prep inspired and motivated for new endeavors in their college careers and beyond.
DAY ONE
Collegiate Prep kicked off with a very interactive presentation by Michele Thornton Ghee, CEO of Ebony and Jet magazines. This was a unique opportunity to connect with a leader who has worked at some of the most powerful companies in the world including WME, CNN, A&E, The History Channel, and BET Networks. Michele shared her story and engaged our young people in a thoughtful discussion on perseverance, the importance of using your network, and giving back to the community. Many of the new collegians asked outstanding questions. Michele’s inspirational talk started the week on a high note and brought home the theme, “Beyond All Limits”!
DAY TWO
On Tuesday afternoon, Boys Hope Girls Hope welcomed guest speaker Dr. D’Angelo Taylor, Associate Director of Multicultural Center, University of Southern Indiana, to speak to our collegians about navigating different types of relationships while in college. Many collegians noted that they learned new skills for how to set boundaries, manage friendships, and maintain healthy relationships.
We were later joined by several members of the Edward Jones team—Steve Carani, General Partner, along with Lori Chartrand, Jalyle Taylor, and Jenna King in Talent Acquisition. Steve gave the collegians great advice on using networking and being career-ready. The rest of the Edward Jones team helped steer the group on how to get the most out of their LinkedIn profiles. This helped to better equip them as they transitioned into our annual Collegiate Prep Edward Jones Networking Night! Collegians were able to practice their networking skills by brushing (virtual) shoulders with seasoned professionals, Boys Hope Girls Hope alumni, and volunteers from across the country and in various career roles. We’re so grateful to Edward Jones and team for the generous support of this annual event and to all of our Collegiate Prep volunteers!
MIDWEEK
Our midweek sessions for Collegiate Prep focused on continuing to buildcommunity! Wednesday and Thursday were full of fun activities, including the #KeepingItReal Alumni Panel, where rising college freshmen had the opportunity to ask anything of the Boys Hope Girls Hope Legacy Leaders—all collegian upperclassmen—about college, social life, relationships, etc. This time really allowed everyone to share advice and learn from each other. Some team members shared lessons from their college experience, as well as answered lingering questions from the alumni panel session. The small group breakout sessions allowed this network-wide group from all affiliates to continue meeting their peers and build community within their class cohort.