This Siena summer camp gives high school students a tool box to explore career options and take early steps on their college search path.
Aspire, a career exploration and college readiness experience now in its second year, welcomed 27 students to campus July 28-30 for sessions, tours and activities that got participants to feel comfortable on a college campus and start thinking about their future.
“Giving high school students the opportunity to experience a college campus, through a camp such as Aspire, allows them to envision their future and the possibilities,” said Katie Szalda ’01, director of admissions. “It opens up their minds to career paths, academic interests, possible goals and beyond! This experience will be memorable for them and often sparks confidence and motivation in the college process.”
Students could attend presentations on careers in health care, law, education, social work, entrepreneurship and more, as well as skill building workshops on public speaking, college admissions, talent development, and even an escape room adventure to help explore career readiness.
Brianna Brown ’20 MBA’21 helped organize the camp, with the goal to show participants that learning and trying new things can be fun and rewarding.
“I think a lot of the students came because their parents signed them up, so they were initially unsure about what the camp would offer, but by the end they all connected with each other, tried new things and found new interests,” said Brown. “This was an incredible opportunity to expose students to the endless possibilities they have for their future.”
Brown said the camp organizers learned a lot from Aspire’s first year in 2024, which led to them offer the students more opportunities to explore the Siena campus and speak with a team of mentors. Each camper had a workbook that featured questions designed to get them thinking about the future such as What are some things you really enjoy doing in your free time? Are there any specific roles or jobs that you could see yourself doing? Who or what inspires you to go after your goals and work hard?
Participants could also draw on the skills and advice of the student mentors, current Siena undergrads and grad students who were in their shoes not too long ago.
“Aspire is such a meaningful camp,” said McKenna Fitzgerald ’26. “I remember being their age and contemplating all of the different career options, wondering which is best for me. Aspire is something I wish I had in high school!”
Kaneez Zahra ’26 noticed the students overcoming the initial awkwardness of meeting each other, and hopes they can use that experience to inspire them “to reach out and not shy away from moving forward to attain what is beneficial for them.
“Within only a day, the students became closer, overcoming the challenge of uncertainties and unclarity, allowing themselves to engage in activities which brought new perspectives to them,” said Zahra. “It’s important for high schoolers to get a taste of college life so they are not taken aback by the hurdles college may bring. They’ll be more prepared to tackle the unknown when it’s time.”
Emily Beames MBA ’25 also found it rewarding to see the students grow over the three-day camp.
“They arrived unsure and curious, and by the end, they were confident, connected, and excited about what college could look like for them,” said Beames. “Experiences like this matter because early exposure helps students see college as possible and start thinking about the steps to get there.”
“It was truly incredible to see the kids fully engage in each session and how much more confident they became in just a few days,” said Jeremiah Davis MBA ’25. “As someone who had no idea what career options existed back in high school, I’ve come to see how vital it is to offer students exposure to a wide variety of fields. I hope this kind of clarity can spark confidence and curiosity, helping each student recognize that the world of possible paths is far bigger than they might have ever imagined.”