Students Become Mentors to High Schoolers for Summer on the Quad

As the summer season is upon us, Manhattan University continues to provide valuable on-campus educational experiences with the launch of its pilot Summer on the Quad: The James Patterson Enrichment Program (JPEP).

Marking a collaboration between Manhattan's Department of Education and the James Patterson Honors Program (JPHP), Summer on the Quad is a no-cost, nonresidential college-readiness camp for a select group of local rising high school seniors, held at the university July 6-30, Monday through Thursday. In this exciting new program, current Manhattan University students and teachers-in-training will work closely with registered campers throughout the month on a curriculum focused on transferable academic and interpersonal skills to help them become more confident speakers, writers and researchers. During their time on the Quad, the campers will have opportunities to engage in meaningful academic research, storytelling, and public speaking, with the primary goal of leaving the program with a polished college application essay ready to submit.

Developed by Michele Saracino, Ph.D., JPHP executive director and professor of religious studies; Katharine Wheeler, Ph.D., director of clinical placements for the Department of Education; Kerri Mulqueen, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the Department of Education and current student Amy Forster '28 — with support from program namesake and one of Manhattan's most famous alumni, the hugely successful author James Patterson '69 — Summer on the Quad offers high school students structured guidance designed to hone and strengthen their ability to think critically, write powerfully and speak persuasively.

According to Saracino, while participation in Summer on the Quad doesn’t guarantee admission to the JPHP, it will benefit both the high school seniors and the current Manhattan students who will mentor and guide them through their four-week journey. “In addition to the learning opportunities this program affords our campers, it is also a key developmental experience for the education majors and graduate students who will be teaching the campers,” she said. “MU teachers-in-training will be lesson planning and instructing this group throughout July and will, as a result, continue developing their practical skills and extending the teacher preparation training they have received during coursework and fieldwork in the Department of Education.”

For the JPHP and Education principals involved, Summer on the Quad: The James Patterson Enrichment Program reflects their shared commitment to critical thinking and literacy initiatives and to fostering the creativity of students, while also reaffirming the vision of Manhattan University. Added Mulqueen, “We see this program as a wonderful opportunity to extend our Lasallian mission into the community by making campus resources available to the ambitious young men and women who are about to begin their college journeys.”