SCE/ESP Summer Ice Cream Social

The Summer Collegiate Experience (SCE) is a summer bridge program designed to help incoming first-year students make a successful transition from high school to college. SCE students attend two classes during the Summer Session (mid-June-mid-August) and receive degree credit for both. The cost of tuition, books, and room and board in a UW-Madison residence hall is fully covered for all participants in the program.

SCE is designed specifically for students of color and students from under-represented groups, regardless of their academic preparation or financial need. An SCE student can be in any other UW-Madison Program (e.g., Academic Advancement Program, Chancellor's Scholars and Powers-Knapp Programs, TRIO, etc.) and participate in the Summer Collegiate Experience. This program serves to help students adjust to their new environment and get a jump-start on their college career.

Every July, WAA hosts SCE program participants and their mentors by arranging and sponsoring a summer picnic. All 48 SCE students attend, along with approximately 15 alumni and administrators. The purpose of this event is to allow the mentors, who are university faculty and staff, to create a closer relationship between the students and the university, as well as to serve as a resource to help new students navigate the university.

This summer, we hosted an ice cream social for the SCE students on the WAA back porch. All SCE students were in attendance, as well as 15 students from the Engineering Summer PIPEline (ESP) program and 4 Pathways to Excellence Scholars.

ESP is a seven-week residential summer program for high school sophomores and juniors. The program explores career opportunities and prepares students for college. Participants take college-preparatory courses in math, science and engineering. ESP is open to students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds: African