This year’s Summer Bridge Program—which helps first-year students smoothly transition to college, and was generously funded by the Aronson Family Foundation—was an unmitigated success on all counts. Over 1,300 incoming first-year students signed up for the program (with 51 percent of the students identifying as Latinx) and 25 professors participated in the events. The program took place from August 16 through August 24, over seven days, with both asynchronous and synchronous options available to fit students’ busy schedules. “We knew we had to prepare students to navigate the fall semester on all modalities—in-person, hybrid, and online,” says Nancy Yang, Associate Director of First Year Programs. “The Summer Bridge Program helped students connect with their classmates, Peer Success Coaches, and First-Year Program staff. We introduced the students to in-person and online campus resources, and we kickstarted their exploration of justice in our ‘From Justice Talk to Justice Walk’ event series.” Students also had the opportunity to improve their technological skills on platforms such as Blackboard, Slack, and Zoom, with “gamified” digital activities and fun raffle prizes. In this “Summer Bridge Success” article series, we connected with students who attended the program to learn more about their first-year, summer-to-fall transition.
First-year student Mia Jimenez ’25, a Criminal Justice major from Garfield, New Jersey, couldn’t wait to get her John Jay journey started, but she also found herself having mixed emotions about what the experience would look like. “I was confused about how classes were going to work, what resources were available, and who to approach with all my questions. Luckily, my academic advisor encouraged me to join the Summer Bridge Program,” says Jimenez. “From my first day in Summer Bridge, everyone was so helpful and the daily quests we were assigned gave me a better understanding of how everything works at the College. The program provided me with the tools, resources, and techniques that would make my time at John Jay the best it could be.” We connected with Jimenez to find out how the Summer Bridge Program helped ease her college transition.
“From my first day in Summer Bridge, everyone was so helpful and the daily quests we were assigned gave me a better understanding of how everything works at the College.” —Mia Jimenez
What drew you to John Jay College?
A high school guidance counselor told me about John Jay and after doing research on the College, I fell in love with its mission and diversity. For me, diversity is really important because I grew up in such a small town. I wanted to be at a college with a diverse student body because I want to meet new people and learn from them and their experiences. Being at John Jay I can’t help but feel excited. I want to be a homicide detective and with the education offered here, I know I’ll make that dream come true.
What key information did you learn from the Summer Bridge Program that you believe will benefit you throughout your journey at John Jay?
I truly believe everything I learned in Summer Bridge will benefit me throughout my college experience. I loved all the ¡Adelante! threads and the opportunities we had to get to know each other. Only a few weeks into the semester, I’m already using the strategies I learned in Summer Bridge. Especially the note taking methods. It’s helped me stay organized and enables me to remember, process, and understand all the materials we’re learning in class.
“Only a few weeks into the semester, I’m already using the strategies I learned in Summer Bridge.” —Mia Jimenez
Can you describe what it was like interacting with your peers and faculty before classes started?
It was an amazing experience being able to chat with the faculty and my peers during Summer Bridge because it showed me that I’m not alone during my John Jay journey. Everyone was so welcoming and that was such a relief to me because coming to college and meeting new people can be scary. Anytime I’ve reached out to my fellow students or the faculty, they’ve provided guidance and support whenever I’ve needed it.
What were some surprises, touching moments, or funny stories you experienced during the Summer Bridge Program?
One of the things that touched me most was how happy, kind, and generous Nancy Yang, the Director of First Year Programs, was throughout the Summer Bridge Program. She made me so excited to be at John Jay.
“One of the things that touched me most was how happy, kind, and generous Nancy Yang, the Director of First Year Programs, was throughout the Summer Bridge Program. She made me so excited to be at John Jay.” —Mia Jimenez
Imagine you’re talking to a new John Jay student next year who’s thinking about joining the Summer Bridge Program. What do you want to tell them to encourage them to join the program?
I would encourage all first-year students to join the Summer Bridge Program if they have the chance. The program is so engaging, fun, and doesn’t feel like schoolwork—instead you feel like you’re in a room with friends because everyone is so nice and caring. In the workshops you learn techniques and strategies to better manage your time and workload, and all the talks give you a deeper understanding of John Jay, justice, and what it means to be part of this great community. The Summer Bridge Program readied me for my first semester in college and it made me realize the John Jay is that perfect place for me.
