Category: Newsletters

December 2021 Newsletter

Happy Holidays from the BroadFutures team!

An End of Year Message from our CEO, Carolyn Jeppsen

As I look back on 2021 l am filled with pride thinking about all that BroadFutures has accomplished – against all odds. I am so grateful to our incredibly supportive, generous, and inspired community. We are only thriving because of all of you. 

Small nonprofits have suffered greatly with the challenges imposed by COVID-19, especially those like BroadFutures whose work depends on in-person programming. Yet here we are, growing, expanding and continuing to serve our community. Over the past year we have served 33 young people from all over the country through our internship and expanded Strengths programs and dozens more through our outreach efforts. We have extended our reach nationally by speaking at conferences, webinars and information sessions. We were able to come together in person as a community this fall, holding one of our most successful fundraisers to date. 

As we look to 2022, I see our efforts focused on creating new partnerships and initiatives to spread the opportunities for neurodiverse young people as well as support for employers in understanding the talent and promise of those who think and learn differently. In doing so, we continue to be laser focused on creating a diverse and vibrant workplace for all. So thanks to all of you for helping to build up and support BroadFutures during this critical time and wishing you a very happy and joy filled holiday season and New Year!

Consider a donation to BroadFutures this December

Your gift will lead to a young person’s success

Thanks to all of you for helping to revolutionize the workplace. Please consider an end of year gift that will last long into the New Year by ensuring we are able to continue to serve the young people who are at the heart of our mission. Your thoughtful support provides vital tools and resources for those who learn differently. Thank you.

Intern & Employer Spotlights – Alex Mentzell & TASH

Alex continues to work with TASH past his internship this summer

Alex, a 21-year-old from Takoma Park, Maryland, participated in the BroadFutures Summer 2021 Internship Program. He did an excellent job interning at TASH, a disability advocacy organization that works to advocate for human rights and inclusion for people with significant disabilities and support needs. TASH has been a partner with BroadFutures since 2018. This summer, Alex helped with a variety of tasks during his internship, and was especially helpful with video editing. Alex’s work was so helpful that his absence was significantly noticed when his internship ended – so TASH decided to bring him back on! “Alex did such a great job when he was an intern,” said Donald Taylor, Membership & Communications Manager at TASH, as well as Alex’s supervisor, “so we knew he would continue to do a great job if we asked him back.” Donald went on to talk about Alex’s strengths, including his communication skills, as well as his talent for being able to trim down a longer video into the most important bits.

So far, Alex has been working on a project called Michigan Storytellers for Change, which involves “editing interviews to help disabled people in Michigan advocate for themselves and their community,” said Alex. “I felt very appreciated at TASH, and I am so grateful they brought me back on to help them with the Michigan Storytellers for Change project.” This project will most likely be expanded to interviewing people in California. Alex will assist with editing these interviews as well. 

In between editing videos for TASH, Alex is planning on taking classes this upcoming spring semester at Montgomery College. Alex, keep up the good work!!

Upcoming Virtual Information Session:

Friday, January 7th | 12:00 – 1:00pm EST

Interested in learning more about our Winter 2022 Strengths Program or our Summer 2022 Internship Program? Join us for an information session to answer any questions you have. Please RSVP to [email protected] in order to receive the Zoom link. 

Secure your spot in our Virtual Winter Strengths Program!

Innovative & interactive curriculum for alternative learners

focusing on college and career readiness:

• Program participants complete the program with the tools, strategies and communication skills for navigating remote learning and the virtual workspace.
• Participants also learn how to search for jobs, network, and interview.
• Participants leave the program with a resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile.
• Most importantly, program participants learn how to effectively disclose their disability or learning style and ask for supports needed to be successful in school and in the workplace.

All curriculum is delivered in an interactive and innovative format that implements strategies for neurodiverse learners with the integration of the arts, collaborative projects and the inclusion of mindfulness and yoga techniques.

Curriculum Overview:

• Navigating remote learning and the virtual workplace
• Creating your elevator pitch
• Mock interviews
• Learn the art of resume writing and cover letters
• Self-advocacy
• Professional communication
• Disclosure & accommodations/ appropriate supports in the workplace & school
• Managing the job search process for success
• How to collaborate with a team effectively online

Program Dates:

February 7th – March 10th | Monday – Thursday, 11:00am – 2:00pm EST

Cost:

$2,900 | Scholarships available based on need.

Apply to our Summer 2022 Internship Program

Program Dates: June 6th – August 5th, 2022

Application Deadline: March 15th, 2022

Interested in gaining valuable internship experience this summer? Apply today!

Interested in becoming an employer partner?

Please join our group of inspired employers looking to include neurodiverse talent!!!

November 2021 Newsletter

At this time of Thanksgiving, we are so very grateful to our donors, alumni, families, employers, and community partners for supporting our mission and standing behind us as we continue to serve our community. We could not do so without your generous support!

If you missed our personal thank you last week from our CEO, you can watch it here. 

Giving Tuesday is November 30th!

Each year, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving marks Giving Tuesday, a global day of generosity. By helping BroadFutures become a part of the movement, you can ensure we can continue serving young people with learning and related disabilities. ALL donations are greatly appreciated and will help ensure we can continue to serve the young people who rely on our services. 

Employee Spotlight – Pamela Gray

Employer Engagement Manager

We are excited to introduce Pamela (“Pam”) Gray as our new Employer Engagement Manager. Pam is responsible for helping to grow, engage, and support our group of employer partners. She has worked in the public, private and nonprofit sectors in addition to being a longtime community volunteer in the Bay Area of Northern California. She is committed to helping disabled people better access employment, technology, and the outdoors. Pamela was the Senior Director of Operations at Goodwill Industries, San Francisco, which provides training and employment placement services for people who face barriers to employment. She was a staff member in the office of Berkeley City Councilmember Laurie Capitelli, working on legislative initiatives affecting Berkeley youth.  Most recently, Pam worked at the Center for Accessible Technology, which serves disabled people who have challenges accessing computers and technology. Pam has also served as a Board Member and sea kayak guide at Environmental Traveling Companions, a non-profit serving people with disabilities and under-resourced youth. She has additionally served as a member and Chair of the City of Berkeley Parks and Recreation Commission.  

Pam expressed her excitement to start a new role: “I am excited to join the BroadFutures team as the Employment Engagement Manager, focusing on developing opportunities for BF in Northern California. I see many possible partnerships for BF in the San Francisco Bay Area, with both schools and employers. There is a high level of understanding of and appreciation for neurodiversity in the workplace in the Bay Area. In the short time that I have been communicating with people locally about BF’s mission, I have received very positive responses, and much interest in learning more about BF’s program. I look forward to helping the BF team to broaden its reach to the west coast, deepen its impact and create even more value for more participants and employer partners.“

Pam, we are thrilled to welcome you to the BroadFutures team!

Apply to our Summer 2022 Internship Program

Program Dates: June 6th – August 6th, 2022

Application Deadline: March 15th, 2022

Interested in gaining valuable internship experience this summer? Apply today!

Interested in becoming an employer partner?

Please join our group of inspired employers looking to include neurodiverse talent!!! a

Who wants to play trivia?

Calling all BroadFutures Alumni! We invite you to play trivia with us on Thursday, December 9th from 12-1pm ET. There will be prizes!! Register at the button below if you think you have what it takes, or just want to have some fun with old and new friends. 

Intern Spotlight – Sadie Shapiro

This month we are delighted to feature Sadie Shapiro in our intern Spotlight! Sadie participated in our Summer 2021 Internship Program and was a fabulous addition to the cohort. A 24-year-old from Alpharetta, Georgia, Sadie moved to Washington, DC for the summer so they could intern at the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (CIAB). Sadie did such an excellent job this summer working with the Operations Team that they were asked to continue their internship through the winter.

Sadie is currently still working at CIAB, gaining more workplace skills each and every day. It has been amazing to witness their growth. According to Sadie, “Through BroadFutures I learned how to have better confidence in myself and the skills I came to realize I possess.”

Sadie keep up the good work and we wish you all the best in your future!!!

October 2021 Newsletter

Our Embrace Change, Celebrate Resilience Fall Gala was a huge success – THANK YOU!

It was a gorgeous night at the Wharf on the rooftop of our employer partner CBRE for our Embrace Change, Celebrate Resilience Fall Gala.  Thank you to CBRE for hosting and to everyone who came out and supported us, as well as our many generous supporters who were unable to be with us in person. A big thanks to Game Genius for helping make the night amazing- we couldn’t have done it without you!  We successfully met our fundraising goal for the event and surpassed our $25,000 scholarship matching grant. THANK YOU for helping us continue to empower young neurodiverse people and diversify the workplace.

Soon we will be sharing with everyone a video recapping the evening for those who were not there to enjoy it or for those who would like to relive the night. The video will feature happenings and videos from throughout the event, but most importantly, our incredible interns!!

Champion Awardees

Upcoming Virtual Information Session:

Friday, November 12th | 12:00 – 1:00pm ET

Interested in learning more about our 2022 Internship Programs? Join us for an information session to answer any questions you have. Please RSVP to [email protected] in order to receive the Zoom link. 

Apply to our 2022 Programs

The Winter 2022 Program Deadline has been extended:

November 15th

Interested in gaining valuable internship experience? Apply to our Winter 2022 Internship Program, which runs from January 24th through April 15th.

Interested in becoming an employer partner?

We are always actively recruiting new employers!

Register for the 2021 Gap Year Conference 

Our CEO, Applied Theater Instructor, and Program Coordinator will present at the Gap Year Conference on November 9th, 1-2:30pm ET. The presentation will explore the benefits of incorporating applied theater in experiential learning and how it serves to build communication skills, as well as confidence and community. The session will demonstrate how applied theater can create access and equity for all, especially for disadvantaged populations.

Employer Partner Spotlight – Bethesda Softworks

Founded in 1986 and headquartered just north of Washington, DC, Bethesda Softworks is a video game publisher renowned for some of the biggest games and franchises in interactive entertainment, including DOOM, Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, Wolfenstein, Dishonored, and more. With an international roster of eight development studios spanning three continents, Bethesda boasts one the industry’s strongest creative voices and an unrivaled family of world-class designers, artists, engineers, and programmers. 

Bethesda enthusiastically supports the mission to advance the potential of young adults with learning disabilities and began its partnership with BroadFutures in the Summer 2019 Program. This past summer, a BroadFutures alumni intern, Michael, worked remotely during the pandemic to test Bethesda’s latest video games, helping to discover bugs and ensure quality before release. This kind of QA work is critical to the game development process, helping studios to refine and improve gameplay, raise the bar of quality, and deliver a more perfected experience to millions of fans around the world.  

Michael’s testing work has been commended by leaders on the QA Team, as he has quickly acclimated to new projects, an important and difficult skill to master in the ever-shifting world of video game testing. His supervisor has acknowledged Michael’s performance, saying that he has shown “great communication skills, asking good questions and seeking clarity on things that were confusing.” Michael’s work contributed to the continued success of Bethesda Softworks’ Fallout 76, an online role-playing game set in one of the Company’s biggest fictional universes.

We are so excited to be partnering with Bethesda Softworks again next summer and look forward to a continuing relationship! You can learn more about Bethesda Softworks here.

Participant Spotlight – Joan Lee

Meet Joan Lee, a Summer 2021 Strengths participant! An 18-year-old from Northern Virginia, Joan graduated from Chantilly High School right before starting the BroadFutures Strengths Program. Joan was a valuable addition to the cohort this summer, always willing to participate, provide insightful comments, and ask helpful questions. Joan is currently working at their family’s restaurant.

We are especially excited about this participant spotlight because Joan attended and spoke at the Embrace Change, Celebrate Resilience Fall Gala. The picture above shows Joan introducing one of our Champion Award recipients, René Brooks. Joan, you did such an incredible job. Thank you for coming to the gala!!!

September 2021 Newsletter

PLEASE JOIN US!!!

Upcoming Virtual Information Session:

Thursday, September 30th | 12:00 – 1:00pm EDT

Interested in learning more about our 2022 Internship Programs? Join us for an information session to answer any questions you have. Please RSVP to [email protected] in order to receive the Zoom link. 

Apply to our 2022 Programs

Winter 2022 Program Deadline: October 15th

Interested in gaining valuable internship experience? Apply to our Winter 2022 Internship Program, which runs from January 24th through April 15th.

Interested in becoming an employer partner?

We are always actively recruiting new employers!

Employer Partner Spotlight – Center for Strategic & International Studies

This month we are excited to feature the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS). Founded more than 50 years ago, CSIS is a bipartisan, nonprofit policy research organization dedicated to advancing practical ideas to address the world’s greatest challenges.

We are proud to have been a partner with CSIS since 2016. Megan Zsorey, Program Manager for the Economics Program at CSIS, has worked with many BroadFutures interns over the different programs, including our most recent summer program. “The CSIS Economics Program has had a phenomenal experience with BroadFutures,” commented Megan. “We are fortunate to be able to host such talented individuals interested in our work, and our BroadFutures interns have contributed to our program in meaningful ways. We always receive tremendous support from the BroadFutures staff and look forward to partnering with them each time they have a candidate interested in the world of foreign policy.”

Thank you Megan for those kind words! We are so grateful to have an employer partner so committed to our mission. We look forward to continuing our partnership in the future. Learn more about CSIS here.

Intern Spotlight – Ian Meyer-O’Connor

Meet Ian Meyer-O’Connor, an intern from the Summer 2021 Program, as well as a participant in the Summer 2020 Strengths Program! It was such a pleasure to have Ian back for another summer. Ian impressed us all with his strong work ethic, communication skills, and sense of humor. A 20-year-old from Cabin John, Maryland, Ian is currently a student at Goucher College where he enjoys working on his creative writing skills.

This summer Ian interned with the Office of Congressman David Trone. Ian was extremely productive during his internship and worked on a variety of tasks, including answering constituent phone calls, data entry projects, and writing briefings. We asked Ian to reflect on his time with BroadFutures, and he responded, “My experience at BroadFutures brought me not only much-needed experience and tips and tricks at that, it also showed me that I already had the ability to succeed at any job.“

Ian, you truly did succeed at Congressman Trone’s Office! We can’t wait to hear about more of your successes at Goucher College and beyond.

August 2021 Newsletter

Congratulations to our Summer 2021 Interns!

On August 6th, we celebrated the successful completion of our first internship program since the start of the pandemic. Congratulations to all of the interns for all of your hard work!! We are so proud of all of your well-earned accomplishments and are excited to hear about your successes in the future.

We are grateful to all of our new and returning inspired employer partners who hosted our interns and provided them with invaluable experiences and support. We are also thankful to our parents, staff and donors for their partnership in ensuring a successful summer program. We appreciate those who took time out of their busy work days to come to our final intern presentations and employer recognition. We feel so fortunate to have this incredible community supporting us!

Save the Date!

Embrace Change, Celebrate Resilience Fall Gala

October 23rd | 6:00 – 8:30pm

Support our mission by becoming a sponsor!

Learn more information on our event page here.

A note…

At this time, we are hopeful the event will be in person at the rooftop of one of our employer partners, CBRE, at the District Wharf in Washington, D.C. With the Delta variant becoming increasingly menacing, we will have to keep an eye on things, and may need to return to a virtual format. We will let you know if anything changes!

Apply to our 2022 Programs

Winter 2022 Program Deadline: October 15th

Apply to our Winter 2022 Internship Program, which runs from January 24th through April 15th. Learn more on our website here.

Upcoming Virtual Information Session:

Thursday, September 30th | 12:00 – 1:00pm EDT

Interested in learning more about our 2022 Internship Programs? Join us for an information session to answer any questions you have. Please RSVP to [email protected] in order to receive the Zoom link.

Interested in becoming an employer partner?

We are always actively recruiting new employers!

Employer Partner Spotlight – Brookings Institution

We are thrilled to be featuring a new employer partner, the Brookings Institution! The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC. Their mission is to conduct in-depth research that leads to new ideas for solving problems facing society at the local, national and global level. Brookings brings together more than 300 leading experts in government and academia from all over the world in order to provide the highest quality research, policy recommendations, and analysis on a full range of public policy issues. 

Michael O’Hanlon, Senior Fellow and Director of Research in Foreign Policy at Brookings, provided critical support to BroadFutures’ intern, Lily, during her time at Brookings. Michael and Lily even co-authored an insightful article together, titled Do Not Take the War on Terror’s Big Success for Granted.  “BroadFutures is a great organization that understands how important it is to make the intern experience structured, purposeful, and carefully stewarded,” reflected Michael at the end of Lily’s internship. “Frankly, their approach should probably be emulated by many organizations sponsoring internships of whatever type. It was a joy to work with Lily and the whole team.” 

Thank you Michael and we appreciate those kind words! It was a wonderful opportunity for BroadFutures to work with Brookings this summer and we look forward to continuing our partnership. Learn more about Brookings here.

Intern Spotlight – Julia Hansen

This month we are featuring Julia Hansen, an intern from the Summer 2021 Program! Julia was an incredible addition to the cohort, consistently adding valuable perspectives to the group. Julia is a 19-year-old from San Fransisco CA, and is currently a Freshman at  Harvey Mudd College. 

This summer Julia interned with The AES Corporation, where she gained and improved upon her research, communication, and creative thinking skills as she worked on a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) project. We were so impressed with Julia’s strong work ethic, motivation, and ability to self-advocate. Reflecting back on her internship as well as the BroadFutures program, Julia commented, “Through the BroadFutures internship program and my experience at AES, I learned the importance of self-advocacy in the workplace and how to communicate with others more effectively.” 

Julia, we can’t wait to hear about your next accomplishments and good luck with your first semester!

July 2021 Newsletter

Save the Date!

Embrace Change, Celebrate Resilience Fall Gala

October 23rd | 6:00 – 8:30pm

Congratulations to our Summer Strengths Program participants!

Our Summer Strengths participants completed their college and career readiness  program last week! To all of the participants, congratulations on all of your hard work!!! It was an amazing five weeks. We built a community, played games, heard from guest speakers such as Getting Hired and InterContinental Hotels, and participated in workshops to improve career readiness skills. We invited families to come celebrate the end of program and heard presentations from our participants about what they learned in the program and what they plan to do after BroadFutures. To all of the participants, great job everyone and we wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors!!

One more week left of internships

Our BroadFutures interns only have one more week left of their internships before our program will come to an end. The interns have been making tremendous strides in their internships, applying what they have learned in our training each week in their internships. From research projects to video editing to creating images in Photoshop to giving presentations, these interns have accomplished a lot! We are looking forward to supporting them through their last week so they can finish out their internships strong.

Apply to our 2022 Programs

Winter 2022 Program Deadline: October 15th

Apply to our Winter 2022 Internship Program, which will run from January 24th through April 15th. Learn more on our website here.

Upcoming Virtual Information Session:

Wednesday, August 11th, 12:00 – 1:00pm EDT

Interested in learning more about our Winter 2022 Internship Program? Join us for an information session to answer any questions you have. Please RSVP to Carole Trevey ([email protected]) in order to receive the Zoom link.

Interested in becoming an employer partner?

We are always actively recruiting new employers!

Employer Partner Spotlight – The Cormac Group

The Cormac Group is a bi-partisan strategic consulting and lobbying firm in Washington, DC and dedicated to providing clients with a clear understanding of the governmental decision-making process. With over 60 years of combined experience, The Cormac Group has a vast area of expertise in developing results-oriented legislative and regulatory strategies at both the federal and state levels in the areas of higher education, healthcare, transportation and telecommunications. 

The Cormac Group has been a long time employer partner and we are thrilled they are hosting another BroadFutures intern this summer. Jim Link, a Partner with The Cormac Group, wrote, “The Cormac Group Team fully understands the huge contributions people with learning differences can make when it comes to adding value and providing positive results to our clients. We fully support the mission of BroadFutures and appreciate being their partner.” We look forward to our continued partnership!! You can learn more about The Cormac Group here.

Intern Spotlight – Tyler Asuncion

We are thrilled to be featuring Tyler Ascuncion this month. From Royal Palm Beach, Florida, Tyler is a 19-year-old who recently finished his first year at Beacon College where he is pursuing a degree in Business/Entrepreneurship and Computer Science. 

This summer Tyler is interning for American Institutes for Research (AIR) where he has been doing an incredible job. Tyler has been working on several different projects, including drafting a video script and creating a PowerPoint presentation on effective workplace communication. Tyler will present his powerpoint next week! Reflecting back on his internship as well as the BroadFutures program, Tyler commented, “The one thing I enjoy about my internship is the ability to improve my time management and ability to self-advocate. I’ve also enjoyed  being able to work with other team members. It created a sense of community when working for them,  helping with tasks, having questions when needed, and asking for feedback so I can improve.” 

Great job, Tyler, and good luck as you head into the last week of your internship!

In case you missed it…

Watch the recording for a Talk with BroadFutures Advisory Board Member, William Stixrud, PhD:

Talking with Young Adults to Promote Internal Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and Independence

Dr. Stixrud, a clinical neuropsychologist, author, and BroadFutures Advisory Board Member, came to speak with our community about communicating with young people to facilitate a healthy, respectful parent-child relationship, while promoting autonomy, agency, and resilience. Dr. Stixrud includes ideas from his first book, co-authored with Ned Johnson, The Self-Driven Child, and from their new book, which will be published in August, What Do You Say? How to Talk With Kids to Build Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and a Happy Home. 

June 2021 Newsletter

Internships have officially begun!

Our Summer 2021 Internship Program is off to a great start! The interns have successfully completed their initial two weeks of training and have now officially started their internships. This is an incredible group of interns, with diverse talents, interests, and hopes for their futures. We look forward to being a part of their journey this summer as they continue on in their internships while gaining valuable professional skills. Meet the incredible cohort below!

Introducing the Summer 2021 Internship Program cohort…

…plus our Alumni Interns!

Summer Strengths Program starting off strong

We are simultaneously running a college and career readiness program, our Summer Strengths Program! We have been hard at work building a community with our participants from all over the country. This smart and resilient cohort contributes a wide variety of strengths, interests and skills to the program. Below is the inspired group of participants!

Introducing the Summer Strengths cohort…

Summer In-Person Events for Interns, Participants, & Alumni

Join us for some fun events this summer!! Check out the in-person opportunities we have for the summer below. If you are interested in attending, please email Alexa Weidanz ([email protected]) and let us know which event(s) you plan on coming to, along with a picture of your vaccination card. You must have proof of vaccination to attend any event. We hope to see everyone soon!!

A Talk with BroadFutures Advisory Board Member,

William Stixrud, Ph.D.:

Talking with Young Adults to Promote Internal Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and Independence

Thursday, July 22nd, 12:00 – 1:00pm EDT

In this virtual presentation, Dr. Stixrud, a clinical neuropsychologist, author, and BroadFutures Advisory Board Member, will discuss ways of communicating with young people that facilitate a healthy, respectful parent-child relationship, while promoting autonomy, agency, and resilience. Dr. Stixrud will include ideas from his first book, co-authored with Ned Johnson, The Self-Driven Child, and from their new book, which will be published in August, What Do You Say? How to Talk With Kids to Build Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and a Happy Home. 

If interested in attending this talk, please RSVP to Carole Trevey ([email protected]) to receive the Zoom link.

Apply to our 2022 Programs!

Winter 2022 Program Deadline: October 15th

Apply to our Winter 2022 Internship Program, which will run from January 24th through April 15th. Learn more on our website here. Watch a virtual information session here. 

Upcoming Virtual Information Session:

Wednesday, August 11th, 12:00 – 1:00pm EDT

Interested in learning more about our Winter 2022 Internship Program? Join us for an information session to answer any questions you have. Please RSVP to Carole Trevey ([email protected]) in order to receive the Zoom link.

Interested in becoming an employer partner?

We are always actively recruiting new employers!

May 2021 Newsletter

Gearing Up for our Summer Internship Programs

Our Internship Program starts in early June and we could not be more excited. This will be our first internship program since Winter 2020!!! We are looking forward to working with an incredibly talented and inspired group of young people coming from all across the United States. We have some fabulous internships lined up, thanks to our amazing employer partners and are welcoming back 11 of our past employers!

We are also excited to welcome our new employer Partner, The Brookings Institution, a preeminent D.C based non-profit with a mission is to conduct in-depth research leading to new ideas for solving problems facing society at the local, national and global level.

Sign up for our Virtual Summer Strengths Program!

Born out of the COVID crisis and in response to the needs of our community, this program has been met with much success. It will be our 4th time running the program and we are looking looking forward to serving another great group of young people!!!  

Program Dates:

June 21st – July 23rd

Monday – Thursday, 11:00am – 2:00pm EDT

Program Fee: $2,900 – need based scholarships are available 

Innovative & interactive curriculum for alternative learners

focusing on college and career readiness:

• Program participants complete the program with the tools, strategies and communication skills for navigating remote learning and the virtual workspace.
• Participants also learn how to search for jobs, network, and interview.
• Participants leave the program with a resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile.
• Most importantly, program participants learn how to effectively disclose their disability or learning style and ask for supports needed to be successful in school and in the workplace.

Interested in learning more?

Watch our virtual information session HERE.

Interview with our Drama Instructor, Raymond O. Caldwell

We are so excited to share with you Theater Alliance’s City in Transition: The Quadrant Series, directed by our very own drama instructor, Raymond O. Caldwell! In addition to working with BroadFutures, Raymond also serves as the Producing Artistic Director for Theater Alliance. City in Transition: The Quadrant Series is a 90-minute intersection of play and film that weaves together stories from the four quadrants of Washington, DC that you won’t want to miss. It is now streaming through June 6th! Use code “BROADFUTURES” for a discount. 

Our Program Director, Ashely Bray, interviewed Raymond about his work at Theater Alliance, City in Transition, and his work with BroadFutures. Thank you Raymond for all the important work you do!

IECA Spring 2021 Conference

Our CEO and President, Carolyn Jeppsen, will be presenting alongside Joan Wittan of College Consulting Collaborative and Bill Stixrud of The Stixrud Group at the IECA Spring 2021 Conference on June 7th at 12:30-1:30pm ET with a live Q&A after the presentation. The presentation will be on Assessing and Advising Students Who Are College Capable, But Not College Ready. Register today to attend!

Fall Fundraiser Poll

As we start planning for our Fall Fundraiser, we would greatly appreciate your input as to your preference in attending which type of event. THANK YOU for your input!!!

Reviews

Whether you are a BroadFutures alumni, parent, employer partner, or someone else in our community, we invite everyone to leave a review for BroadFutures on Google and/or on the BroadFutures Go Overseas page (affiliated with the Gap Year Association). Especially in these challenging times, we could use all the positive words we can get to continue to serve our community. Thank you, thank you!!!

In case you missed it…

BroadFutures 2020 Impact Report

See how your support made a difference when we needed it most!!!

Despite COVID-19 and its challenges, BroadFutures has been able to successfully innovate and continue to serve our community thanks to all of you!!! 

“BroadFutures was one of the best learning experiences of my life.”

– Winter 2020 Intern

April 2021 Newsletter

BroadFutures 2020 Impact Report

See how your support made a difference when we needed it most!!!

Despite COVID-19 and its challenges, BroadFutures has been able to successfully innovate and continue to serve our community thanks to all of you!!! 

“BroadFutures was one of the best learning experiences of my life.”

– Winter 2020 Intern

Sign up for our Virtual Summer Strengths Program!

Program Dates:

June 21st – July 23rd

Monday – Thursday, 10:00am – 1:00pm ET

Program Fee: $2,900 – need based scholarships are available 

Innovative & interactive curriculum for alternative learners

focusing on college and career readiness:

• Program participants complete the program with the tools, strategies and communication skills for navigating remote learning and the virtual workspace.
• Participants also learn how to search for jobs, network, and interview.
• Participants leave the program with a resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile.
• Most importantly, program participants learn how to effectively disclose their disability or learning style and ask for supports needed to be successful in school and in the workplace.

All curriculum is delivered in an interactive and innovative format that  integrates the arts, collaborative projects and mindfulness and yoga techniques.

Curriculum Overview:

• Professional communication

• Self-Advocacy

• Disclosure & accommodations/ appropriate supports in the workplace & school

• Remote learning and the virtual workplace

• How to collaborate with a team effectively online

• Creating your elevator pitch

• Mock interviews
• The art of resume writing and cover letters
• Self-advocacy
• Managing the job search process for success

Interested in learning more?

Watch our virtual information session:

Employer Partner Spotlight – APSE

We are excited to feature APSE for our employer spotlight. APSE is the only national, non-profit membership organization dedicated to Employment First, a vision that all people with disabilities have a right to competitive employment in an inclusive workforce. For the past 30 years, APSE has worked to spread the values of Employment First. APSE’s mission is to advance employment equity for people with disabilities, including fair compensation. With chapters in over 40 states, APSE has expanded to represent the voices of advocates and to promote the inclusive employment movement to as many people as possible.

APSE began its partnership with our Winter 2019 Program, hosting two BroadFutures interns. APSE is joining us again this summer as an employer partner. We are thrilled as we see our partnership as mutually beneficial – helping to drive both of our missions forward. Erynn Pawlak, Director of Operations at APSE, shares this view, commenting “we are incredibly excited to be living our mission of Employment First by providing meaningful and equitable employment for ALL.” We are thrilled to continue our partnership with APSE. You can learn more about APSE here.

Participant Spotlight – Andrew Seide

Meet Andrew for this month’s participant spotlight! Andrew participated in our Winter 2021 Strengths Program, where he proved to be a valuable member of the cohort. A 25-year-old currently living in Charlottesville, Virginia, Andrew has a wide variety of interests, including politics, music, and photography. In his free time, Andrew enjoys hanging out with friends and working out. 

During our Winter Strengths Program, Andrew demonstrated he is eager to learn and work hard. He brought valuable perspectives to the group and we thoroughly enjoyed having him as  part of the winter cohort. Reflecting back on the program, Andrew remarked, “I enjoyed being in the BroadFutures program because it helped me develop my personal level of confidence. Although it was not easy at first, BroadFutures has allowed me to expand my horizons in my job search in terms of learning about the job search process. I quickly learned that the job process was extensive. I also worked on practicing my communication skills in a professional setting, and I am grateful for my experiences at BroadFutures.”

Andrew, we so enjoyed working with you this past winter. We cannot wait to hear about your next accomplishments and where your future takes you!