The ABC Residential Summer Bridge program at River Crossing campus housing at IU South Bend is designed to introduce you to the academic expectations of college and provide you with strategies and skills that will help you meet them. Through the use of specialized assessments, group activity, and guided self-introspection, you will have an opportunity to explore and better understand your interests, strengths, and challenges as a learner. You will expand your knowledge of the world of work and begin to identify your academic and career goals. The path will be one of self-discovery and commitment to success as you prepare not only to begin your associate degree studies at Ivy Tech, but also to begin to build the necessary foundation to transfer to IU South Bend for completion of your bachelor's degree.
Getting Serious About Your Future
- Individualized career testing and counseling to include the Strong Interest Inventory, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (personality inventory), and other career counseling instruments.
The goal: "to better understand who you are and why you're going to college" - Exploration into the world of work and the many options that can set you on the path to a rewarding and fulfilling career that's right for you.
The goal: "to develop a Plan A and a Plan B strategy to map your future" - An introduction to college success strategies, including study skills, time management, test-taking strategies, balancing college and life responsibilities, and more.
The goal: "to develop a strong foundation of college success skills" - Mentoring through storytelling sessions, where successful students, faculty, and staff share their own stories of challenges faced and overcome.
The goal: "to learn how to get back up and back on track when life knocks you down" - Personalized financial aid counseling and financial literacy training to help you maximize and retain your financial aid eligibility, minimize borrowing, and earn your associate and bachelor's degrees before you run out of aid.
The goal: "to develop a plan for how to pay for college and minimize loan debt"
Getting Serious About Your Future
- Individualized career testing and counseling to include the Strong Interest Inventory, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (personality inventory), and other career counseling instruments.
The goal: "to better understand who you are and why you're going to college" - Exploration into the world of work and the many options that can set you on the path to a rewarding and fulfilling career that's right for you.
The goal: "to develop a Plan A and a Plan B strategy to map your future" - An introduction to college success strategies, including study skills, time management, test-taking strategies, balancing college and life responsibilities, and more.
The goal: "to develop a strong foundation of college success skills" - Mentoring through storytelling sessions, where successful students, faculty, and staff share their own stories of challenges faced and overcome.
The goal: "to learn how to get back up and back on track when life knocks you down" - Personalized financial aid counseling and financial literacy training to help you maximize and retain your financial aid eligibility, minimize borrowing, and earn your associate and bachelor's degrees before you run out of aid.
The goal: "to develop a plan for how to pay for college and minimize loan debt"
Doing Your Bit
Diversity, sustainability, community service: Hear from local experts and participate in activities to expand your awareness of these important issues.
The goal: "to better understand these topics and commit to doing your part to protect the world for generations to come (and maybe find a career in the process!)"
Kicking Back, Making New Friends, and Having Fun
Day and evening social activities, including open mic night, cookouts, picnics, movies, and field trips, sports activities, and more.
The goal: "to develop relationships with fellow students, mentors, and members of the campus community who may help you during the academic year"
The program also includes a parent involvement component to give college parents an opportunity to learn how to best support their student.
From July 19 to 30, you will participate in day and evening activities with a group of like-minded individuals who will serve as part of your support and social network as you move from your freshmen and sophomore studies at Ivy Tech to your junior and senior studies at IU South Bend. You’ll also interact with faculty, academic advisers, career and financial aid counselors, members of the diverse and dedicated professional staff at IU South Bend and Ivy Tech, and a host of student peer mentors - all of whom are committed to helping you reach your goals.
The ABC Residential Summer Bridge is limited to 30 participants, so don't delay. For more information and to fill out the application and contact your ABC Transfer Brenna Giazzon at bgiazzon@iu.edu or (574) 520-5030.
