Summer Search Alumni Association

boston newsletter: summer 2008

The Summer Search Alumni Association welcomes the Boston Class of 2008 at the Spring Event

letter from the chair

Where We’ve Been, Where We Are, Where We’re Going: Summer Search Boston’s Growing Alumni Association
by Derrick Duplessy, Boston Alumni Board Chair, Summer Search Boston Board Member, Jeremiah E. Burke High School ’98, Bowdoin College ‘03

With over 500 Summer Search Boston alumni, numerous Summer Search events and programs, and a productive Summer Search Boston Alumni Board, it’s hard to imagine the Summer Search Alumni Association started five years ago by cruising in tiny boats on the Charles River. We’ve come a long way since then. Now we are looking forward to pushing the Alumni Association even further. read more >

cover story

The Summer Search Career Advisory Network: Helping Alumni Reach for Their Professional Dreams
by Yasmin Pereyra, Boston Alumni Board CAN Committee Chair, Brighton High ’99, Smith College ‘03

SSYP, CAN, & PI…”What are these acronyms?” you may ask. Well, if you don’t know, let me take this time to inform you of the lingo that many cool Summer Searchers are learning and using as resources. Allow me to start off by saying that as Summer Search alumni and young professionals, you are considered to be a Summer Search Young Professional (SSYP). Additionally as you further discover your career options, you can explore all the different ways the Career Advisory Network (CAN) will assist you, such as by using the Predictive Index (PI), which is a tool that can provide insights into your unique, individual work style. read more >

news & events

Five Colleges Dinner and Spring Event 2008: Reaching out to Summer Search Alumni!
by Diana Vargas, Boston Alumni Board Outreach Committee Chair, Brighton High School ’01, Bowdoin College ‘05

Five Colleges Dinner
Many Summer Search alumni attend one of the five colleges in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts—Hampshire College, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, and Amherst College. In an effort to bring all area alumni together, Diana Vargas ‘01 and Denise Rodrigues ‘01, Summer Search Boston Alumni Board members, hosted the first ever Five Colleges dinner on February 21, 2008. read more>

2008 Spring Event
The Summer Search Boston Office welcomed its biggest class yet into the Summer Search Alumni Association at the annual Spring Event held on May 12, 2008, at Boston Latin School. Before the ceremony began, Summer Search Boston Alumni Board members facilitated a small ceremony where they answered questions about life as Summer Search alumni after high school. read more>

Bridges to Success: The 2008 Summer Search Boston Leadership Dinner
by Erin George, Boston Alumni Board Member, Boston Latin School ’02, Bryn Mawr College ‘06

Summer Search Boston annually hosts a Leadership Dinner to honor its partners and donors and to raise money for Summer Search. More importantly, it is also an opportunity to honor the incredible accomplishments of Summer Search students as they embark on their summer trips, positively impact their communities, and stand up as leaders wherever they may be. This year’s dinner was held on May 1st, 2008, at the Seaport Hotel. It was the first Leadership Dinner that I’ve attended, and I figured it would be similar to other Summer Search events—Summer Search staff and student speakers, maybe a slideshow or video, and an awards ceremony. read more>

travel dispatch

Letter from Central and South America
by Emily Edwards, Summer Search Boston Executive Director 2002-2007, Summer Search Director of Strategy 2007-present

Dear Alumni Family,

I am very happy to share the journey I took to Latin America this winter as it was very much inspired by you. Just three days after the emotional Bon Voyage party you threw for me, my husband Tom and I left for Guatemala. We spent one month there, doing a Spanish immersion program and exploring Mayan pyramids while being surrounded by monkeys that made a guttural roar unlike anything I’d ever heard. read more>

summer search update

Across the organization, Summer Search is sending 735 first and second-year students away on summer programs (compared to 538 last year)! In addition to long-time summer program partners like Outward Bound, Amigos, NOLS, and AFS, we’re excited to announce first-time partnerships. read more>