Some of Knox College’s newest students got a head start on the 2018-19 academic year by arriving on campus early to participate in summer bridge programs specifically designed to help prepare them for college life.

SPARK (Student Preparation and Readiness for Knox), TRIO, and IELP (International English Language Program) are bridge programs that provide students with tools for success as they navigate a new academic environment and face the personal and academic challenges of being a first-year student.

SPARK and TRIO are open to domestic students who are the first in their families to attend college, while the IELP is an opportunity for international students to improve their English language skills before classes begin.

Through the programs, Knox staff, faculty, and returning students help guide the new students as they become familiar with college life in general and with Knox in particular.

Gao Yee Yang '20, now a SPARK mentor, recalled participating in the SPARK program when she first arrived at Knox. “My first year, I was really scared to come to college,” she said, adding that SPARK eased her transition. She said it’s important for new students to learn “it’s OK to struggle” at Knox, and that people are available to assist them.

SPARK mentors, including Yang and Charles Gomez '19, continue their role throughout the academic year, checking in periodically with SPARK students and offering them advice and friendship. “It’s nice to have that relationship with them because that’s the overarching idea of SPARK,” said Gomez.

The preparation programs featured various informative activities for students, such as a financial literacy workshop and classes in writing and math. Students also received an early introduction to Knox faculty and resources, may of which they discovered through a campus-wide scavenger hunt. In addition, one evening was set aside for students to decorate ceramic mugs and watch movies together.

TRIO students said they’re already benefiting from the program. “It makes it easy to make friends and to know that there are people to support you,” said Jolie Carranza, a first-year student from Chicago, Illinois.

Another first-year student, Madison Caffrey of Cresco, Iowa, said she appreciates the connections she is building with faculty and students who are involved with TRIO. “It’s really comforting and nice to know that there are always people that we can go to, just to talk,” Caffrey said.