Co-presenters Mikki Brown (Project Exploration), Jill Levine (Right Angle-A Noble Network Program), Christine Grenier (Elmhurst College), Amanda Parada-Villatoro (DePaul University), and Marya Spont (IIT).

Marya Spont, associate director of the Office of Student Access, Success, and Diversity Initiatives and program director for the IIT Boeing Scholars Academy, recently led a session, “Pathways to Summer Learning for College Access and Success,” at the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling Annual Conference.

Spont was joined by four notable collaborators and co-presenters: Project Exploration Manager of Youth Development Mikki Brown, Elmhurst College Associate Director of Admissions Christine Grenier, Right Angle–A Nobel Network Program Executive Director Jill Levine, and DePaul University Center for Access and Attainment Assistant Director of Community Outreach Amanda Parada-Villatoro. Their session focused on how pursuing summer learning opportunities on a college campus can be a great way for high school students to become exposed to college life, learn about potential majors and careers, and overcome the “summer learning loss” known to influence long-term achievement and attainment among low-socioeconomic status youth, in particular. Together, the presenters discussed several summer learning programs in-depth, gave an overview of related research and advocacy, and shared models for how representatives of high schools, college admissions offices, community-based organizations, and university-based summer programs can connect and collaborate to better serve their constituents and institutions.

Spont also contributed to this year’s National Science Teacher Association Conference, with a poster entitled “IIT Boeing Scholars Academy: Connecting Local and Global STEM Issues for High-Achieving Urban Teens.”

Learn more about the IIT Boeing Scholars Academy.