ExploreHope: Fund Pre-Professional Learning at Science Camps

This campaign has closed but you can still make a gift and support the program. 

Hope students, majoring in education, communication, science and engineering, gain pre-professional experience while teaching K-12 students. Your gifts help provide experiential learning opportunities for today's Hope College students.

As Hope trains our students to be active, contributing members of their communities, experiential learning opportunities play a central role in shaping the type of citizen they will become. Student cohorts focus on programs in their area of study while learning team work, project management, curriculum development and instructional skills that are required in their future careers. ExploreHope experiential learning opportunities mentor students to grow in the areas of:

• Professional skills
• Interpersonal communication
• Program management and delivery
• Interactions with diverse set of people
• Teamwork 
• Personal responsibility
• Professional society meeting presentations

Experiential learning opportunities are provided for a variety of time frames, from a few hours to full time summer staff. Students receive a stipend funded by this project and are mentored by Hope faculty and staff, along with professionals from the community. For longer opportunities, training in communication, presentation, and instructional skills is provided. Students from all majors are welcome and regularly serve on our staff.

Here's a video of students' past experiences with ExploreHope.

Participant Reflections on Experiential Learning

Here's what some Hope students have said about this experience:

“I was able to enter into an environment that forced me to think like a teacher, as well as act like one.”

“I loved the way we so quickly formed a community...The opportunity to build curriculum alongside peers was an amazing opportunity and will foster growth in my future career.”

“This experience enabled me to see which character traits I still need to work on and also to see which traits are my strengths that I can use to help others.”

“This opportunity was UNBELIEVABLE and I will never forget it. Thank you for letting me explore, make mistakes, learn from my mistakes, and grow. You all walked alongside me through this experience and encouraged me in my teaching!”

“Throughout these six weeks, I have learned more about myself as a teacher, worker, and communicator than I ever expected to learn.”

“As I want to work with kids in my future career as a physical therapist, the experiences I had this summer allowed me to gain knowledge in how best approach teaching and guiding kids from all backgrounds, ages, and ability levels.”