"The hardest part was knowing that for most of the students attending camp, those two weeks would probably be the only good part of their summer."
Alyssa Reese is talking about her experience as a counselor and director at YMCA's Storer Camps in Jackson, Michigan.
She spent all four of her college summers working with high school students who attended the camp to learn about science, nature, cultural history, and teambuilding. For many of these students, the camp is their only exposure to outdoor adventure.
"So many of the teens I worked with came from troubled homes or depressed communities, and they often needed someone to talk to," says Reese. "As a camp counselor, I was available to them in that capacity. I really enjoyed the fact that they felt comfortable enough to confide in me and it was a big motivator for me."
When she became a camp director, Reese got hands-on experience designing programs that taught critical life skills through active participation in open-air settings. She saw the effect these experiences had on the individual students and, just as importantly, what it could mean for their larger communities.
"It occurred to me that social work was a field that would allow me to do this kind of work every day."
As a result, Reese decided to pursue her Masters in Social Work, choosing UM in part for its proximity to Detroit, where she hopes to work after graduation.
"I really liked the program's emphasis on capacity-building and giving people the tools to create change around them," says Reese. "It's about empowering individuals to make life better for themselves and the communities in which they live."
The ability to tailor her MSW program, as well as the small class sizes and personalized support from professors, all factored in her decision to attend U-M for her post-graduate work.
"I feel so fortunate to have professors who take a genuine interest in me and who are actively involved in my education. They've encouraged and helped me grow, both as a student and as a person. Ann Arbor has been such a welcoming and accepting place for me in general."