Philadelphia Center takes on new leadership

PURSUE THE PHILADELPHIA EXPERIENCE — As a long time partner of the the Great Lakes Colleges Association, The Philadelphia Center provides premier study-away experiences to students nationwide. (TPC)

Hope College’s Philadelphia Center representative, Celina Madden, shared opportunities available to the students through the domestic study program in an information session and presentation. The program is a semester-long, internship-based program. The Philadelphia Center was established in 1967 by the Great Lakes Colleges Association.

The semester is an off- campus urban experimental  program that places students into job – creating situations that incorporates the Philly spirit. Students who enroll at The Philadelphia Center have the option of two programs, a 16-week fall or spring semester program or an 8-week summer learning/work program. Each program combines multidisciplinary seminars, an internship experience, city living and comprehensive advising. A typical student’s schedule includes an internship four days  a week, attendance of a city seminar course one day a week and an elective seminar one evening a week.

Overall, the Philadelphia semester has built relationships with more than 900 companies.

Hope sought to increase enrollment within the program, seeking to provide students with an independent living and learning experience while still earning college credit. The Philadelphia Center went under  a retouch as the institution pursued website redesign and changes to the marketing techniques to bring attention to the program. Hope began the rebranding in small waves, starting with the website, which  was a collaborative effort of student work. The website portrayed a more modern and fresh feel. Now, The Philadelphia Center is being taken under new management as Albion College is the official administrator of the new program.

“This exciting partnership is an important development for Albion College,” said Mauri Ditzler, president of the college on the college’s website. “For many of our students who completed a semester through The Philadelphia Center, it remains a highlight of their Albion experience as alumni. Our deeper association with the Center—and our new, direct connection to Philadelphia and the Northeast Corridor— will result in more people in more places learning about and becoming familiar with Albion College.”

Though Albion is heading management of the center, Hope still encourages students to be a part of the Philadelphia semester and to broaden their practical and professional experiences.