Student Opportunities

The following opportunities are available to Oakland Catholic High School students through local Colleges, Universities, and businesses. These opportunities are presented to our students so they can have first hand experiences in the fields that interest them most.

Check back often; this page is updated as we receive new information regarding upcoming student opportunities. Stop in and see your School Counselor with any questions.

2020-2021 Academic Opportunities:

JAN & FEB: The Perry Initiative - Registration closed

From The Perry Initiative: We’re very excited to announce upcoming sessions of the Perry Virtual Experience in January 2021. The Perry Virtual Experience is a free, 2.5-hour, interactive online experience for high school and college-aged women who are interested in pursuing careers in orthopaedic surgery and engineering. Participants will hear from women leaders in these fields and dive into online orthopaedic simulations and biomechanics experiments. Additional information can be found on our website: https://perryinitiative.org/pve/

Women in high school and college who have an interest in science, medicine and/or engineering are now invited to register for a session of the Perry Virtual Experience. We would appreciate it if you could pass along this information to any educators or students you may know. Students should be directed to fill out the online registration for one session that best fits their schedule. Most sessions are available to participants in any location, but some sessions are for a focused geographic area. Dates and details for each session can be found at https://perryinitiative.org/calendar/

JAN-APR: St. Francis University: Francis Worldwide - Registration closed

FEB & MAR: College Board: Virtual College Fairs

College Board is hosting their first-ever series of virtual college fairs called BigFuture™ Days. Sophomores and juniors are encouraged to sign up for a chance to connect directly with college admissions representatives and current college students. You will have a chance to explore colleges in a way that's not overwhelming, ask questions about topics you want to learn about, and take action on key college planning steps.

Students can attend any event and more than one:
BigFuture Day West + Southwest - Saturday, February 6
BigFuture Day Southeast - Tuesday, February 23
BigFuture Day Northeast - Sunday, March 7
BigFuture Day Midwest - Thursday, March 11

Student Registration here!

MAR 13: Pitt Civil Engineering Day - Spots are limited!

Pitt’s annual Civil Engineering Day (CivE Day), will take place on March 13th from 8:45 AM - 11:30 AM. Due to Covid restrictions, this event will take place entirely virtual on Zoom. The goal of CivE Day is to show high school students what civil engineering is all about! Spots are limited - sign up today!

2021 SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES:

JUN 14-AUG 6: UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Academy - APPLY by 3/1/21

JUN 20-25 (on campus): University of Pittsburgh: RxPlore, Pharmacy Career Exploration

Created for rising high school juniors and seniors, RxPLORE is a professional summer camp that provides exposure to the critical role pharmacists play within healthcare. If you already have a passion for pharmacy or are just starting to explore career options within the healthcare field, RxPLORE is right for you! Form valuable connections with faculty and current pharmacy students while you explore some of the many career options available for a PharmD!

RxPLORE 2021 will be on campus June 20-25, 2021 and on-line July 18-23, 2021. Learn more here!

JUN 20-27: Denison University: Reynolds Young Writers Workshop - APPLY by 3/7/21

JUL 18-23 (virtual): University of Pittsburgh: RxPlore, Pharmacy Career Exploration

RxPLORE 2021 will be on campus June 20-25, 2021 and on-line July 18-23, 2021. Learn more here!

Boston University: Pre-College Programs

Boston University is now accepting applications for their 2021 Summer Term High School Programs. You can find the application here. There are five pre-college programs to choose from and you are able to attend either in person or remotely. If you would like more information on these programs, click on the link above and explore all of the programs being offered.

High School Honors is a six-week program in which students take Boston University undergraduate courses and earn up to 8 transferable college credits. In addition to remote or commuter options, we also offer online courses through High School Honors Online. Students must be entering their junior or senior year of high school in fall 2021.
RISE Internship/Practicum is a six-week, non-credit program in which students conduct scientific research in a university lab under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Students must be entering their senior year of high school in fall 2021.
Academic Immersion (AIM) is a three-week, non-credit program for students to focus intensively on a single academic topic. This summer we are offering four AIM tracks: Introduction to Experimental Psychology; Introduction to Medicine; Global Studies: Security, Statecraft, and Spycraft; and Creative Writing. Each track combines classroom work in the subject area with project-based learning activities. Students must be entering their junior or senior year of high school in fall 2021.
Summer Challenge is a two-week program in which students take two non-credit seminars of their choice and experience college life. Students must be entering their sophomore, junior, or senior year of high school in fall 2021.
Summer Preview is a one-week, non-credit program in which students explore one subject of interest while previewing the college experience. Students must be entering eighth grade or their freshman or sophomore year of high school in fall 2021.

If you have any questions, please contact summerhs@bu.edu.

Carnegie Mellon University: Pre-College Fine Arts Programs

CMU Summer Pre-College Fine Arts Programs

Carnegie Mellon's Pre-College Programs in the fine arts are six-week residential experiences that provide high school students with the opportunity to develop their skills in a conservatory or studio setting. Through the Pre-College program, high school students have access to instruction and mentorship from full-time faculty members.

The summer Pre-College program options in the fine arts include the following: architecture, art, design, drama, and music! Apply for the program here.

Immerse Education: Various Programs

Review Student Opportunities with Immerse Education:

The Oxbridge Online Research Programme: Personalised, one-to-one tuition from your own personal Oxford or Cambridge University tutor. Create a university-level academic research project in any subject field over 2, 4, or 8 weeks. Ages 13-18. Learn more.
Cambridge Online Insights: The highlights of our award-winning summer course can be experienced via a premium e-learning platform. Learn alongside other students from around the world with the guidance of expert university tutors. Ages 13-18. Learn more.
Cambridge Summer School and Oxford Summer School: This award-winning summer course in Cambridge University and Oxford University colleges. Designed for ambitious students and taught by expert university tutors. Ages 13-18. Learn more.

The Immerse Education Essay Competition 2021: Win a place on Immerse Education's academic programmes! The Immerse Education Essay Competition offers students the opportunity to win a 100% scholarship to participate on an Immerse academic programme.

Academic enrichment programmes in Cambridge University and Oxford University colleges provide unique study abroad experiences designed for motivated young learners from around the world. Online academic programmes deliver the highlights of these programmes in a dynamic virtual environment.

In order to enter, students aged 13-18 are required to submit essay responses to a pre-set question relating to their chosen subject and age group. From Medicine, Computer Science, Physics, Engineering, Creative Writing, English Literature, and many more subjects, there is a category for every area of interest. Students from all nationalities are welcome to enter the competition. Click here for more student opportunities with Immerse Education.

Johns Hopkins: Engineering Programs

Johns Hopkins Engineering Innovation offers a collection of specialized pre-college programs for high-achieving math and science students. This summer, they will offer two online courses, Explore Engineering Innovation and Biomedical Engineering Innovation. More details from Johns Hopkins below:

Explore Engineering Innovation (EEI) (formerly Engineering Innovation). This is an enhanced version of our in-person course that features the same level of challenging, hands-on activities as our past on-site program.

“Explore Engineering Innovation challenged me to step out of my academic comfort zone and elevate my problem-solving ability.” -Lijie

Explore Engineering Innovation blends collaborative and engaging activities that broaden students’ thinking about what’s possible with engineering. Created by Johns Hopkins faculty, students will determine the material properties of spaghetti, learn to resolve forces in a bridge truss, and learn basics of computer coding. While virtual, the program maintains a high level of hands-on experiences. And students have the opportunity to earn college credit.
Biomedical Engineering Innovation (BMEI), a course designed to teach biomedical engineering concepts in an engaging, lab-based curriculum.

“Biomedical Engineering Innovation challenged me to think critically every single day. No matter the material, the instructors and assignments consistently challenged me to think on a deeper level then any course I have ever taken.” - Ari

Biomedical Engineering Innovation encourages students to develop and test their own theory while completing their final independent project on a topic of their own choosing. Created by the Johns Hopkins BME faculty, students will develop models of human efficiency and the cardiovascular system, an create their own biosensor. While virtual, the program maintains a high level of hands-on experiences. And students have the opportunity to earn college credit.

The application is now open for both courses. BMEI courses start as early as May 24, 2021 and EEI will be offered starting July 6, 2021.

Watch our short video that highlights how we are reimagining engineering—one future at a time.

Review the requirements and share Explore Engineering Innovation and Biomedical Engineering Innovation with parents and students.

University of Pennsylvania: Penn Summer High School Programs

Penn Summer High School Programs welcome bright and ambitious high school students who want to experience Ivy League academics with leading faculty and stand out on college applications. With program options available for 2-, 3- or 6-week programs, high school students from around the world can experience summer with Penn.

Penn Summer Prep: Experience university level-academics in the 2-week, non-credit program
Penn Summer Academies: Dive deep into academic study for 3 intensive weeks in one of the non-credit academies
Pre-College Program: Take 6-week for-credit summer courses alongside Penn undergraduates

Click here to learn more!

Job Opportunities:

Students seeking part-time employment are required to have a work permit. Work permits can be acquired through your school district. Students who live in the city of Pittsburgh should contact the Pittsburgh Board of Education - more information can be found here.

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