A Taste of College

By By Patrick Bohn, August 7, 2024

New York State Gear Up program allows students to experience IC.

Nearly 100 rising ninth-graders came to South Hill for four days and get a brief glimpse of life at IC.

Giving middle school students a glimpse of the opportunities available to them at college can be an invaluable way to highlight the value of higher education.

This summer, nearly 100 rising ninth-graders from across New York got first-hand experience learning about the value of an Ithaca College education when they came to South Hill for three days of meetings with faculty and staff and touring academic facilities.

The students came as part of New York State’s GEAR UP program, established by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education to increase college readiness and success for low-income students. The college submitted a bid to host the program — describing the opportunities IC would be able to provide — and was selected.

“These students don’t always believe that college is attainable for them. The ability to ‘kick the tires’ on the college experience shows them that it is, and that’s what the program aims to do.”

Eric Machan Howd, director of the Office of Extended Studies

While touring the campus, students were given the opportunity to utilize some of the college's facilities, such as the virtual production tool The Volume in the Roy H. Park School of Communications.

“These students don’t always believe that college is attainable for them,” said Eric Machan Howd, director of the Office of Extended Studies. “The ability to ‘kick the tires’ on the college experience shows them that it is, and that’s what the program aims to do.”

During their time on campus, the students took advantage of a plethora of hands-on opportunities.

Visiting Hoerner Theatre in the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, the middle-schoolers got on stage one at a time and read inspirational quotes out loud to the rest of the group.

“We wanted the students to actually feel what it was like on a stage and talk to an audience,” said Machan Howd. “And the students really responded positively to the exercise. One of the students said that the minute she stepped on the stage, she felt at home here, and that was fantastic to hear.”

The students toured the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance and saw the various lab and classroom spaces. And when they visited the Roy H. Park School of Communications, they were able to be on camera in the studios.

In addition to the hands-on experience in the schools, the students met with Dave Curry, director of the Center for Career Exploration and Development, to discuss career aspirations and pathways.

The visiting students were given the chance to go on stage at Hoerner Theatre and read inspirational quotes to each other.

Creative opportunities were also abundant. For two days, students worked in the campus computer labs learning mobile app development. They created their own apps and then gave a Shark Tank-style pitch to the larger group.

“It was amazing to see what these kids were coming up with,” Machan Howd said.

Overall, the experience left everyone feeling positive.

“Being able to provide students with a slice of the real-life college experience is invaluable,” said Machan Howd. “I’m extremely grateful that we were able to offer this. Not only were the students and their chaperones extremely impressed, but GEAR UP told us that we were, by far, the best campus they’d been to. We’re hoping to host this again in the future.”