Milton Hershey School Hosts Virtual Postsecondary Fair
Featuring Tanya Baynham, MHS Vice President of Graduate Programs for Success
While in-person visits to colleges and universities are on-hold, Milton Hershey School’s Graduate Programs for Success (GPS) Division has creatively thought of ways to bring postsecondary opportunities safely to Senior Division students. This week, the school hosted its first Virtual Postsecondary Fair to help students figure out their future and keep it in focus.
“We realize that this isn’t an average school year at MHS and there are a lot of things competing for our students’ focus, however, it is also an exciting time for each of them,” said Tanya Baynham, Vice President of Graduate Programs for Success.
The Virtual Postsecondary Fair invited students to ask questions they normally would get to inquire during in-person campus tours or overnight visits. MHS juniors and seniors tuned in from student homes and Transition Living (TL) buildings to meet the 60 professionals who gave virtual presentations about colleges, universities, technical schools, branches of the U.S. military, employers, and apprenticeship or certificate programs through Zoom.
MHS senior Edward Suter aspires to serve in the military and learned that college would be the best fit to pursue his desired career and become an officer in the Army National Guard during the Virtual Postsecondary Fair.
“It is highly important for students to talk to college representatives and learn about the school from a person, not just a website,” Edward said. “It shows how many options we have upon graduation.”
Penn State University was one of the schools that met with students for scheduled Zoom meetings. Each session included a small group of MHS students. They were encouraged to ask questions about majors, campus life, and the application process.
Cynthia Daniels, the Associate Director in the Office of Multicultural Recruitment and Community Affairs at Penn State University’s Harrisburg campus, was one of the representatives.
“It would be great to see MHS students at Penn State but most importantly, these virtual fairs are opportunities for students to explore their options,” Daniels said. “My hope is that students are encouraged and see that, even in a virtual atmosphere, they can still be working toward their goals of college, an apprenticeship, or military service and keep their head up because this moment we are in, with COVID-19, is not going to last forever.”
At MHS, each student’s path to success is different. As students navigate the choices of college and career, MHS students have the resources and college and career services to help them decide on what their future has in store for them.