IE Southwestern University Upward Bound Pre-Grad Internship

Southwestern University IE/Upward Bound Pre-Grad Intern

My experience with the IE program has definitely been a memorable andhelpful one. As the first to finish High School and College, there weremany gaps about graduate school. Meeting and speaking with my mentor,Brittany, has relieved some concerns, but the experience itself made methink about graduate school in a way I would have not otherwise thoughtof. Brittany was completely honest with me, and there is nothing more Icould have asked of her as a mentor. The IE program opens doors ofopportunities and I am grateful that the program was extended to UpwardBound students at Southwestern University. Attending classes andresearching schools has become valuable to me as I make my decision aboutgraduate school, and with the help of this program and Brittany, I amconfident that my decision will be made out of knowledge rather thanskepticism or fear.

Thank you for the opportunity to discover the graduate world from a graduate student perspective.

Southwestern University Upward Bound Student and IE/LBJ Intern Darlene Thompson

"Overall, the experience of having a mentor through the IE Pre-Graduate School Internship program and the opportunity to go to the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas was insightful and gave me the opportunity to see what is beyond my own environment and further allows me to dream big and accomplish my goals. Most importantly, the knowledge gained from this experience will instill in me the confidence I need to use and sharpen my own strengths to succeed in a graduate program and make a difference not only in my academic career but also in my community." Read more.

See also Southwestern University's story on Darlene.

LBJ Graduate Student Mentor Kendra Kreider

"The Intellectual Entrepreneurship program provided me with an opportunity to mentor a first-generation college student on the eve of her graduation. I believe that mentorship is a component of scholarship, and I am so glad that I discovered the IE program as a way to give back to the next generation of graduate students. A diverse student body is essential to a rewarding learning environment in graduate school, and I am committed to the belief that the base of applicants to graduate programs should be ever expanding. The IE program is a wonderful initiative to encourage students from diverse backgrounds to place themselves among this group, and I hope that by serving as a graduate mentor I am helping to facilitate this process." Read more.