Commons Room
It’s called a “human knot,” and that is just what it looks like. A group of 10 chirpy 16- and 17-year-olds stand in a circle, and each one grabs the hands of two different people across from them. Then, without letting go of each other, the group works together to untangle the knot of arms, twisting, turning, laughing, and shouting directions, until an unsnarled circle is formed again. Off to the side, a Pitt undergrad in a sea-blue t-shirt energetically cheers on the gang.
The game is a teambuilding exercise kicking off The 2015 Bridge College Prep and Leadership Academy, a Pitt-based summer program for high school students. It was designed to help rising juniors and seniors best navigate the often perplexing roads leading to college. The students will attend SAT/ACT prep courses, workshops on crafting personal statements and resumes, and Q&A sessions with college admissions officers. They’ll learn the ins-and-outs of financial aid and creative problem solving, and hold mock interviews to practice presenting themselves to universities and employers.
But The Bridge isn’t simply informative—it’s also fun, mixing rigor and amusement in a way that mirrors the real college experience. There are trips to Oakland landmarks planned, a campus scavenger hunt, and field time scheduled at the Petersen Sports Complex. The students in Pitt dorms and eat in the dining halls, soaking in a campus lifestyle.
Along the way, collegiate ambassadors guide them—12 Pitt undergrads-turned-counselors accompany student groups throughout their day. It’s a chance to share what they know of the college experience and application process, and to get to know the slightly younger members of their generation.
“They know more about the trends and social media than I probably ever will,” says lead counselor and senior political science major Josh Davis. “But they’re not much younger than me, so it’s not hard to talk to them. It’s fun. They’re fun.”
In the sunny lower lobby of the William Pitt Union, where several groups still works to untie each other from their human knots, others have just finished unwinding themselves. One cluster of students, some still holding hands, congratulate each other. Several of the boys comically wipe beads of sweat from their foreheads while a counselor praises the group for their speed. All together, there are over 90 students enrolled in The Bridge this year. They represent a total of 12 states and come from as far as Louisiana and as close as Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods. Some hope to gain admittance to the University of Pittsburgh, while others have their eyes set on institutions across the country. In just a couple days, they’ll be more equipped than ever to reach their goals.
“It’s just really nice to see people look towards you for any sort of leadership or guidance,” says Davis, “especially with something like college. There are a lot of big questions, it is great to be able to help.”