Rutgers University-Newark celebrated the "12th Annual National Groundhog Job Shadow Day" on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2014. Groundhog Job Shadow Day is a national campaign that provides young people with a new perspective regarding their academic and career aspirations through a one-day, on campus career exploration experience.
Coordinated by the Newark School Initiative (NSI) in partnership with the Newark Public Schools, the event engaged faculty, staff, and students to broaden educational opportunities for Newark Public School youth. Job shadowing motivates students to think about their career aspirations and the preparation required to be successful in those careers.
The Job Shadow Day event at Rutgers offered an interactive forum that introduced Newark high school students to career pathways and professionals within a major research university. Rutgers faculty and staff, many of whom are “home-grown” Newark talent, acted as career mentors for the participants. They candidly shared information about their childhood experiences, educational backgrounds and career pathways. Some of the mentors spoke before the entire group of students in a segment of the program called, “This is What I Do,” while others facilitated small groups of students during the lunchtime table-discussions in another segment of the program entitled, “Careers Up-Close.”
Additional components of the program included Admissions student-guided campus tours and a panel discussion comprised of current NSI college students who attended the same schools as the high school students in attendance. The high school youth made immediate connections with the NSI students who shared experiences that related to the younger students’ concerns. The NSI students offered suggestions and advice regarding SAT exam anxiety and the college application process, as well as transitioning from high school to college and campus life.
Approximately 50 students from four Newark Public High Schools -- Barringer, Central, West Side and Science Park -- were mentored by Rutgers faculty, staff and college students. The school guidance counselors who chaperoned the students were also engaged in meaningful round-table discussions about programs for high school students and the important role that an anchor institution can play in engaging the youth in the community. 
Job Shadow Day provided an opportunity for youth from Newark to comprehend how strong educational pathways can be created. Through their interactions with faculty, staff and students, Newark youth benefitted from exposure to role models who have succeeded against some of the same odds that they face.
The impact of the program was clearly evidenced by the animated small group discussions and the high school students’ enthusiastic and sincere expressions of appreciation for having this opportunity. During the closing of the program, one student eloquently addressed the entire group to express his gratitude for having been selected to attend the Rutgers event. He thanked his school’s guidance counselor and everyone at Rutgers who contributed to sponsoring the event. He went on to say how special he felt to be a part of what Rutgers was doing for the youth in the Newark community. “I never thought I would learn so much today,” said Jeremiah from Science Park High School.
Specifically designed to increase the number of Newark high school graduates who matriculate at Rutgers University-Newark, NSI offers a range of activities and special events that target students in elementary, middle and high school and their parents. Youth initiatives, such as Job Shadow Day, are an example of how Rutgers University-Newark fosters opportunities to grow local talent and careers, demonstrating that RU-N is “not just in Newark, but of Newark!”
For more information, contact:
Office of University-Community Partnerships
(973) 353-1630
http://oucp.newark.rutgers.edu/
Photos by Leslie Lesley
CAPTIONS:
TOP PHOTO: Ken Perron, Rutgers fitness coordinator, speaks with students about ways to turn their youthful passions into adult professions.
LEFT PHOTO: High school participants pictured with Josiah Houston (center), NSI ambassador.
RIGHT PHOTO: Jakyrra Tyson, coordinator for Talent Search East, Rutgers University-Newark Academic Foundations Center, talks to students about scholarship opportunities
