Throughout the academic year, the HYPE Career Ready® Program prepares students for life beyond Heidelberg in a variety of ways. But to kick off the year, each of the classes participates in a “common experience” with their classmates. The common experiences will take place on and off campus Sunday and Monday.
Third-Year Common Experience
It’s been a year in the making, but for the first time, third-year students who are part of the inaugural HYPE class will focus on service and giving back as they undertake a “blitz build” for two Habitat for Humanity projects.
Working with the Seneca County and Wood County chapters and the Help Build Hope organization, 30 teams of up to eight students each will collaborate to build the frames for two Habitat homes. They’ll begin their work Monday morning in the lot outside of Krieg Hall and the MCC.
As the walls for the first house are built, they’ll be loaded onto a truck and delivered to the home site on Second Avenue in Tiffin. Walls for the second house will be set up so that students get a chance to witness their work before delivery to the site, said Beth Koop, coordinator of Student Engagement.
“There’s a lot of excitement among the students for this project,” Beth said, adding that the Tiffin family who will receive the Habitat home will be on site, working alongside students during the blitz build.
The blitz build has a larger purpose, said Jacqueline Sironen, director of Student Engagement and HYPE. “The most successful members of a community are those who get involved with their community. We hope that our students will understand that Seneca County is an important part of Heidelberg and Heidelberg is an important part of the community,” she said.
With special thanks to the Cole Family Foundation and ‘Berg Trustee Charlie Cole and his wife, Patty, Heidelberg has worked with Republic Lumber Co. to secure lumber for the blitz build. According to Paul Stark, director of Religious Life and Civic Engagement, the Cole Family Foundation provided a gift to HYPE for the project.
Heidelberg will be giving back in other ways as well, donating $20,000 toward the project for materials, a donation to the Help Build Hope organization and to Habitat for Humanity as well. Additionally, the Sue and Ralph Quellhorst Endowment for Student Community Service funded two student positions to help coordinate the blitz build last year and this year, and to develop and foster Heidelberg’s ongoing relationship with Habitat for Humanity.
Second-Year Common Experience
The Second-Year Common Experience focuses on career expectations, with such skills as developing a resume and interviewing. Sophomores will begin the year with a large-scale etiquette dinner Sunday evening in Seiberling Gymnasium.
Monday afternoon, students will participate in breakout sessions on topics of interest to them, such as professionalism with a social media presence and internships, according to Mark McKee, director of Career Development and Placement.
First-Year Common Experience
For the third year, new students will board buses and head to Hocking Hills for some bonding time with their new classmates. For their First-Year Common Experience, they’ll spend two days in Hocking Hills, participating in activities based on adventure and nature.
Bringing it full circle
All of the students participating in HYPE will unite on Monday evening for music on the Campus Center lawn and other fun games and activities.
HYPE is entering its third year in the 2018-19 academic year. The first of six HYPE days this year takes place on Sept. 13 at 9:30 a.m. as we welcome Scott Dikkers, co-founder and editor in chief of “The Onion.”
See the full list of HYPE speakers.