This summer of 2023, I had the opportunity to intern at Wabash as a mentor for both the PTYF and WLAIP programs and the experience I had did not disappoint. The Pathways To Your Future program was a diverse group of younger high school students, where they were allowed to see a glimpse of what it is like to be at Wabash College. These young men were able to learn the importance of community assets and working in teams. The program spent about a week meeting with different Wabash professors and experiencing what a regular Wabash classroom would be like. The highlight of this program for myself would have to be when the group went to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The PTYF group enjoyed seeing where the Indy 500 takes place, along with talking with the staff about various career opportunities that they offer. Connecting with the young men in the PTYF group confirmed one my strengths that was being a relator, as I was able to relate with many of these guys and their backgrounds. Overall, I enjoyed being able to share my experience at Wabash and helping scope the future generations of Wabash men. This program wouldn’t have had the success it had without Dean Steven Jones and Mr. Kim King, and I am very grateful to have had been apart of their hard work.
The Wabash Liberal Arts Immersion Program was yet another diverse group of individuals that will be incoming freshman in the fall of 2023. Being part of the 21’ WLAIP class, I was able to connect and relate with this new class and pass my knowledge on to them. These gentlemen were a joy to hang out with and guide, as they sharpened my leadership skills throughout the month of July. The program allowed these students to earn a credit before the official school year started, along with many field trips like an Indy 11 game and Holiday World. My favorite memory with these guys is just playing basketball or ultimate frisbee with the young fellas after their class and work time. This was the time where I could see the group rest their brains from the school workload and where guys could just be guys. They brought out my Clifton strength of competition during these times, and we grew closer through this competition. This program was made possible by Dr. Horton, Dr. Kopplemann, and Coach Jesse Olivas. This was a summer of great experiences where I got to connect with guys that were once where I was in time.
