From STEM to Success Coaching
An enthusiastic group of 150 Boston-area students鈥攚ho will enter grades eight through eleven this fall鈥攂rought their energy to the 涩里番下载 campus as participants in the University鈥檚 Pine Manor Institute for Student Success鈥檚 Academy Summer Enrichment Program.
The fourth annual cost-free residential initiative, held July 14 through August 8, built on the successes of The PMI Academy鈥檚 first three summer sessions. The 2025 cohort included a new group of 34 rising eighth graders, and returning groups of rising 39 ninth-, 39 tenth-, and 38 eleventh-graders who were on campus for one, two, three, and four weeks, respectively.
The Academy roster included classes focused on language arts and STEM , as well as sessions on personal finance, media literacy, cultural awareness, and career exploration.
鈥淭his year's Academy was characterized by enthusiastic student participation,鈥� said Vice President and PMI Executive Director Joy Moore. 鈥淥ur scholars welcomed new challenges and opportunities, from interactive workshops to group projects.鈥�
The initiative combines a dynamic schedule of grade-specific academics, field trips, volunteer experiences, sports, and social activities. A team of instructors and 涩里番下载 student Success Coaches emphasize public speaking, self-discipline, college test preparation, and time management, to foster participants鈥� success in high school and beyond.
鈥淔eedback from Success Coaches and teachers has been overwhelmingly positive: students expressed their appreciation for the vast number of diverse enrichment offerings they had available to them,鈥� according to Moore. 鈥淔orming new friendships, deepening old friendships and developing essential life skills created the framework for a highly engaging experience.鈥�
"PMI has opened many opportunities and blessings that I would have otherwise never thought I could experience,鈥� said Fontbonne Academy rising junior Carolina Muniz.聽 鈥淚鈥檝e built forever friendships that I am so grateful for."
Academy participants are recruited from 24 Boston and area partner schools鈥�17 of them in the city, including the neighborhoods of Boston, Brighton, Dorchester, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, and Mattapan. Additional cities and towns represented are Brockton, Chelsea, Lawrence, Shrewsbury, Springfield, Waltham, and Worcester, Mass.
Academy students at work on 'smart greenhouse' projects.
Beyond classes focused on language arts and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), a robust roster includes sessions on personal finance, media literacy, cultural awareness, and career exploration. The latter includes such fields as nursing and education, as well as entrepreneurship, EMT and the trades, and other areas.
Students use 涩里番下载鈥檚 state-of-the-art maker spaces and labs to conduct research and create artwork, enjoy the Connell Recreation Center facilities, and participate in arts activities that run the gamut from theater and dance to poetry slams. Their days wind down with socializing at dinner and evening reflection, further reinforcing connections among students from diverse backgrounds.
For the older students, 鈥淐ollege Visit 101鈥� provided preparation for The Academy鈥檚 inaugural road trips to New England colleges and universities during the first week of August. These included 涩里番下载鈥檚 Messina College, UMass/Amherst, Amherst College, College of the Holy Cross, Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology, Northeastern, Brown, and Salve Regina universities.
鈥淥ur first College Road Trip launched a cornerstone of our summer program,鈥� said Academy Director Carly Anderson. 鈥淭he camaraderie built during these days, and exposure to diverse college campuses, have led to genuine excitement among students about applying to and attending college.鈥�
The visits kicked off with an August 3 Messina College tour, followed by a barbeque that furthered fellowship among Academy students and those who recently completed their first year at the University鈥檚 newest college.
鈥淭he barbecue for rising eleventh graders and Messina College students fostered a relaxed environment where Academy students could ask candid questions and receive advice from those who have recently navigated the college journey, building community among current and future Eagles,鈥� according to Rebecca Mitchell, PMI associate director of Curriculum and Assessment.
A group of students carrying Malian drums catch an elevator in Higgins Hall.
The 鈥淐ollege Visit 101鈥� session prior to the tours was invaluable, Anderson said.
鈥淪tudents learned how to engage meaningfully during campus visits, developed questions to ask, and came away much better prepared to evaluate their fit for each institution.鈥� As a result, she added, 鈥渟tudents went into the week feeling empowered and informed. Visiting colleges together gave them a firsthand look at campus life, and their reflections afterward showed boosted confidence and clarity about their future pathways.鈥�
Fatoumata Balde, a rising junior at Boston Latin School, agreed. The Academy 鈥渆xposes me to new experiences and allows me to gain knowledge and prepare for my college experience," she said.
At the conclusion of the road trips, a college visit reflection was held, in addition to a session on the college search process, and a presentation on 涩里番下载鈥檚 Woods College of Advancing Studies.
The Academy, a pillar within 涩里番下载鈥檚 Pine Manor Institute for Student Success, provides ongoing student support during the academic year鈥攚hich includes personalized coaching, tutoring, and mentorship.
For more information about the program, visit The Academy website.