What is the Bridge Program?
The BRIDGE program provides an opportunity for Boston high school students to become acquainted with Emerson college and aspects of college life through ongoing visits and participation in activities on the Emerson campus.
The goal is to have the participants see college as a real experience of being on campus and seeing some of the dynamics of college life. The program involves students participating in casual visit to campus during the school year.
The visits are hosted by Bridge Associates who are Emerson College students who have expressed an interest in working with and mentoring high school students. As part of the program, the students are encouraged to enroll in one of the summer program offered to high school students in the Emerson College Arts and Communication Summer Academy.
How does Bridge Work?
Each Bridge Associate hosts four to six students. Students come into the program in their sophomore year of high school. Bridge participants are identified and recommended to the program by their high school guidance counselors. At the beginning of the school year, the Bridge Associate meets at the high school with the guidance counselor and the selected students for an initial meeting. At this session introductions are made and contact information, e-mail addresses, cell phones, etc., gathered.
The Bridge Associate checks the Emerson activity calendar and selects one or more campus events to which he or she will invite the high school students. The ideal situation is for the students to have a campus visit three to four times a month. types of activities might include, but are not limited to, concerts on campus, sporting events, theater performances, public lectures, cultural events, and other programs.
The Bridge Associate prepares a weekly written activity brief that is sent to the Bridge Office Coordinator at Emerson College with a copy to the high school guidance counselor.
Once every seven weeks, the Bridge Associate goes to the high schools for face to face meeting with the guidance counselor to discuss developments in the program. The Bridge Office Coordinator accompanies the Bridge Associate on this visit.
Who are the Bridge Associates?
Bridge Associates typically are Emerson College students in their junior year who have expressed an interest in working as mentors with high school students. They are selected after an interview and a written statement of commitment to carry out all the responsibilities outlined in their duties. Bridge Associates work are study students and as such carry the responsibility of being a student employee at Emerson College. All of them have an expressed/demonstrated commitment to racial and ethnic diversity and inclusion.
What do the High school students do other than visit campus events?
As part of the process of providing high school students with a closer look at possible college and career paths the Bridge Program guides them toward participation in the Emerson College Arts and Communication Summer Academy. The Summer Academy offers four different programs to high school students in summers between their sophomore and junior year and junior and senior year. The Bridge participants will receive first choice consideration for available scholarships to the summer academy.
Additionally, the Bridge Associates seek to mentor and advise the students in their groups on things on which they should focus to increase the likelihood of going to college to study the arts or communication.
