Matt Blommer ’16: Every year, the members of the senior class must craft and carry out a project proposal of their choosing for two weeks in the spring. Senior projects are designed to assist soon-to-be graduating students in pursuing future career goals as well as offer the opportunity for them to more deeply explore their interests.
Last year senior projects as a whole were revamped to higher standards that would lead to more focused plans. Students now must pose an “essential question” to guide themselves throughout their efforts. This alteration comes along with requiring projects to occupy students for six hours a day and result in an end goal of a tangible product. As Sarah Baker, Form Dean of the Class of 2014, explained, “That does not mean making a power point about your project. For example, some students are making their own album or writing a report for a local business about how marketing and PR can help that business appeal to the adolescent market.” This prompts students do more than simply follow someone around all day, but actually have a real role in their own project.
However, a few new adjustments have been made this year as well. Instead of having seniors’ personal advisors serve as their senior project advisor, they will now have a faculty member selected based on their abilities to guide the student on their specific project ideas. In addition, students are no longer permitted to have their offsite advisor be a relative or family member due to accountability issues.
The final step for senior project plans is to get approved by the committee made up of Baker, Delvin Dinkins (Head of Upper School), TJ Locke (Head of School), Maj Dergham (member of college guidance), a member of the community service staff, a member of the arts department, and a member of the English Department. This board reviews projects, returning them to students before spring break with either a straight pass as written, a pass with suggested amendments, or in very few cases, a fail that requires an entirely new idea.
Photo courtesy of Sarah Barr ’16
Beginning on May 12, the current senior class will commence their projects. When asked what she has seen so far, Baker stated, “I have seen some projects that have particularly impressed me because the students are proposing to take active and original roles sparked by enduring interests of theirs. Most students are doing more than just what their brother or sister did in the past or what is easily accessible to them. Instead, I feel as though the seniors are targeting areas that have always intrigued them and that they only now have the opportunity to interrogate. This has really made me proud of them.”
As these projects ideas vary greatly, Scholium spoke with a few seniors about their particular plans. Evie O’Brian, Class of 2014, is working at the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. O’Brien has celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that causes gluten intolerance, and wants to learn about the foundation that educates and aids those with the disease. O’Brien wishes to pursue a career in the restaurant management business, so she is also planning on meeting with different restaurant managers to learn about gluten-free options on their menus, as well as advancing her restaurant management knowledge.
Seniors Andrew Jannetta and Dutch Buckley are working with Drew Crockett ‘01, an Episcopal graduate that found his path in business at Hubbub Coffee. Working with a man that created his business from scratch will help develop their skills necessary for entrepreneurship and marketing. Jannetta explained, “Drew started his business with a coffee truck on Penn’s campus and has since grown to two storefronts with a third coming on the way near the Radnor Business Park. As Hubbub doesn’t have a strong footing in the suburbs like it does in the city, our primary goal will be marketing.” Jannetta also stated, “This project should teach us a lot about business, not just owning a business but knowing what to look for when investing in a company or venture.” These projects are only two examples of the many that this year’s senior class will be doing.