DICE Pre-College Outreach host Douglass Externs Scholars during Spring Break
While numerous Rutgers students were off enjoying a relaxing Spring Break, two Douglass students alternately completed a weeklong Externship with the office of Pre-College Initiatives & College Success in the Division of Diversity, Inclusion and Community Engagement through Douglass Externship program. This one-week experience provided the students with a glimpse into the day-to-day workday of Karen Hale, Senior Program Coordinator. The Reilly Program at the BOLD Center at Douglass organizes the job shadowing or externship program.
Paola Tenezaca a junior working on a degree in public health at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy and Ayesha Ali, a sophomore majoring in Political Science with a minor in Women’s Studies. Both students come from diverse backgrounds and their characteristics vary, but they shared one thing that many first-generation college students seem to share, a lack of knowledge about how higher education works.
Paola and Ayesha cooperated in presenting to New Brunswick AVID middle school students at Woodrow Wilson Elementary and McKinley Community School on the last day of their externship. The ladies shared some background information on who they are and where they came from which allowed the middle schoolers to relate to them and their upbringing. Advancement Via Individual Determination or AVID students also had the opportunity to ask the ladies questions about their majors, about life as a Rutgers student and more. The AVID program is an elective class that prepares students to be college and career ready.
Paola and Ayesha concluded their presentation with asking the middle schoolers about their future career goals and plans and encouraged them to apply to Rutgers. They both agreed that they enjoy studying at Douglass College because of its small college atmosphere. Paola and Ayesha easily empathized with the middle school students as they described how it feels to chase their dreams and encouraged the middle schoolers to do the same.
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