AFTER the Summer Institute: Where to Go From Here?
by Mark Sklarow, IECA Executive Director
In some ways the Summer Training Institute lasts far longer than the 4 days attendees spend in Swarthmore, PA. First, in a practical sense, it could takes months just to read everything in their workshop binders. Hundreds of articles, reproduced blogs, resource lists, sample contracts, intake forms, campus visit checklists and more make the binder a valuable resource for years. IECA education director Sue DePra put together an amazing textbook.
In addition, the attendees are able to start their journeys into the profession knowing they can rely on IECA for support. Each can immediately link through this blog and the IECA facebook page. As they seek Associate or Professional Membership they will discover the value IECA offers: assigning mentors, joining campus tours, gaining discounts on everything from insurance to FedEx. As a member they will discover
the amazing opportunities, products and discounts offered by our partners including College Essay Organizer, Wintergreen Orchard House, Princeton Review, Kaplan, and more than 30 others. Attending our national conferences in the fall and spring, reading Insights, and participating in LinkedIn discussions all will allow those who took part in this past week’s training to continue to learn and grow.
Yet above all there are the wonderful connections the participants made with each other. Stretching from San Diego to Maine, and Vancouver to Miami, the STI Class of 2010 seems poised to keep these new relationships alive: visiting schools together, sharing expertise, providing business and counseling support and guidance. Since 2003, we have seen the incredible value the summer training graduates find in remaining in touch, supporting each other, and raising up their classmates. We at IECA look forward to their continued involvement.
Related posts:
- IECA Summer Institute Attendee Reflects on Inclusiveness
- Curious About IECA’s Summer Training Institute? Then, Read This…
- Opening Day of Summer Institute: Becoming an Entrepreneur & Attendee Insights
- Summer Training Institute Becoming Just a Memory? Time for a Tune Up!
- My Return to Swarthmore and IECA’s Summer Training Institute
The Institute made me realize how much I still have to do. However it also gave me a framework to get started.