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To and Through: Post-Secondary Support

A typical “I Have A Dream” Program Director will work throughout the years to provide age- and developmentally-appropriate pre-collegiate and post-secondary programming, coordinating support for Dreamers in preparing for and transitioning to their chosen post-secondary path. Some affiliates have a college and career director dedicated to these activities.

Ways to Support by Age and Stage

Seniors/Juniors

Create senior folders
Direct senior timeline procedures to all sites, including guidance for

  • Post-Secondary options/programs
  • Admission procedures/deadlines
  • Student outreach programs
  • Scholarship policies/distribution/FAFSA
  • Transition to College Agreement

Facilitate parent-meeting(s)
Support Dreamers in filling out college applications

  • Personal statements
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Early decision/action deadlines

Provide financial aid support 

  • FAFSA workshops
  • Scholarship distribution
  • Award letter review and comparison

Work with juniors in high school to start planning and preparing for college

  • College entrance exams (ACT/SAT)
  • Personal statements
  • Six-school worksheet
  • Letters of recommendation workshop
  • Facilitate college tours

Pre-College

Develop and implement pre-collegiate advisement to all sites

  • Have a minimum three lessons per class each semester
  • Fall focus – college preparation
  • Spring focus – career exploration
  • Summer focus – college tours/exploration

Help coordinate ‘College & Vocational Tech Programs Weeks’ and/or Post-Secondary Summer Camp
Organize college tours for younger Dreamers for summer programming

Alumni

Establish ‘best practices’ Scholarship policies and procedures
Oversee case management of alumni Dreamers

  • Track school, scholarship, credits, grades, etc –  in Salesforce
  • Support Dreamer in their career exploration
  • Communicate on a monthly basis – meet Alumni on campus on a per semester basis
  • Provide support to increase retention and graduation
  • Develop system to track post-secondary graduation rates

Advise on post-secondary options

  • Transfer students
  • Special programs/majors
  • Undocumented options

Manage expiration and completion letters
Research/Distribute Scholarship – using social media and the scholarship site
Lead coordination and tracking effort for FAFSA for all Dreamers
Maintain accurate records of all Dreamers
Organize and conduct meetings of the Dreamer Alumni Network

  • Plan professional development and social activities for Alumni Dreamers
  • Find ways to engage Alumni Dreamers with current Dreamers in the program

Specific Support Activities and Programs 

Events and Outreach

Head the committee in charge of organizing the Local Dreamer Conference

  • Recruit Dreamers and ACs to the committee
  • Organize and run committee meetings

Help plan the Graduation Celebrations

  • Organize planning committee of Dreamers, site staff, and CCD staff
  • Find venue for the event to accommodate size

College Friday – organize events
Represent, network and establish partnerships with scholarship organizations, post-secondary institutions and community outreach groups
Attend in-state and out-of-state college fairs and high school visit days
Arrange college tours and visits
Search for scholarships and distribute them to Alumni and High School Dreamers
Distribute employment opportunities via social media

Career Exploration

Maintain partnerships with companies for summer internship program
Research and develop new internship partners
Maintain records of internship hosts and Dreamers experiences
Provide Dreamers with professional development workshops on building resumes and cover letters, mock interviews, professionalism in the workplace public speaking and interest and skill surveys
Organize and carry out Job Shadow program for high school students
Organize career days and career tour for elementary and middle school students
Work to recruit new professionals interested in providing career development opportunities

College Savings Accounts

Work with National IHDF to implement CSA program
Develop ‘best practices’ to distribute CSAs for Dreamers and their families after graduation
Include CSA paperwork in enrollment meetings for new Dreamers
Put together and track benchmarks for classes to allow Dreamers to earn money for the CSA

Collegiate-Track Support

Develop Programming modeled after the Pre-Collegiate Development

  • Organize and implement regular Saturday Academies for each cohort
  • Plan week long program at a Community College & Vo-Tech programs for 8th and 9th grade cohorts and attend national IHDF DreamUP Conference

Plan two-week residential academic program at a college and/or attend national IHDF Dream UP Conference) for 10th and 11th grade cohorts
Provide case management and support for seniors as they apply for and transition to college

 

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