On August 3, 2021, the Maryland Business Roundtable for Education (MBRT) returned to college campuses after more than a year of virtual visits due to the pandemic. Its first in-person senior bootcamp for Next Generation Scholars was at Goucher College and included 25 rising seniors from Dorchester, Kent and Wicomico counties.
The day kicked off with a 90-minute admissions and financial aid information session where Goucher representatives discussed its admissions process, including what students can expect from college and how they can apply for FAFSA and other federal aid information. Following the session, students broke into groups to tour the 287-acre wooded campus just outside Baltimore City, while wearing their masks to enter the library, learning buildings and dorm rooms.
“The last time these students had the opportunity to visit a college campus was when they were sophomores,” said Morgan Cox, Next Generation Scholars Coordinator for Caroline County. “Though some of the details of the college haven’t necessarily changed over this period of time, the relevancy certainly has. Seeing how focused the students were on getting answers to their questions and engaging with the Goucher representatives demonstrates the importance of starting early and continuing to provide opportunities for college and career exploration.”
For example, Cambridge-South Dorchester High School student Jah’Kai Hall decided to use his one-hour designated lunch time to not only fuel his body but also his mind when he sat down with three tour guides.
“The best part of the trip for me was getting to eat lunch with current students,” said Jah’Kai. “They gave me advice on how to start my process and made me feel welcomed to be at Goucher. I also learned that college should feel like home, the people should feel like a family and Goucher does their best to make students feel like part of the family.”
After lunch, Goucher held a panel discussion with the associate dean of students for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and Title IX; the associate dean of students for student support; and success; and the director of residential life. The college representatives talked about their roles on campus and what their departments do before opening the discussion for questions and answers with the Next Generation Scholars. While some students asked follow-up questions, others wanted to know how freshmen can feel comfortable on campus and how the college supports students who may be harassed.
“In all of my years coordinating these college visits, I haven’t seen a Q&A session quite like the one we had at Goucher College,” added Morgan. “The students were super active and engaged, and you could definitely tell they had been thinking a lot about what life on a college campus was like.”
Senior bootcamps were also held at Washington College (August 5) and Salisbury University (August 10) following a similar format as the event at Goucher. Students toured the campus, and learned about college life as well as various forms of financial aid.
The college application sessions were also useful. During the Salisbury University bootcamp, students created their account for the Common Application with guidance from Charles Overholt, assistant director of Freshman Admissions. Students also explored the application, added colleges to their list for future applications, and added the fee waiver code in the event they decide to apply to Salisbury University.
The final senior bootcamp is scheduled for August 24 at Frostburg State University. Allegany students are encouraged to register by contacting their local coordinator.
