Five summers.
280+ students.
More than 80 high schools across Pennsylvania.
Five counties—Allegheny, Bedford, Blair, Cambria, and Somerset.
29 weeks of impact.
Since launching in 2021, the Readiness Institute at Penn State’s Summer Discovery program has become a defining experience for hundreds of rising high school seniors in southwestern and southcentral Pennsylvania, opening doors to new opportunities, new perspectives, and new futures.
As we mark five years of Summer Discovery, we’re celebrating the stories, the impact, and the people who have shaped the program into a transformative journey—not just for students but for families, educators, and entire communities.
I didn’t realize the depth of the program and how much I was going to get out of it. All the connections I made with my cohort and other cohorts are so incredible. I’ve gained so much experience, and going into my senior year, I feel more prepared for the real world because of everything I’ve done this summer. Everything had meaning and impact.
Creating Real-World Readiness
The goal of Summer Discovery is simple, but powerful: help students better understand themselves, their communities, and the opportunities that await them.
Over the past five years, the program has connected students with more than 250 speakers, workshops, and field trips focused on real-world themes such as:
- Soft skills and career pathways
- Mental health and well-being
- Financial literacy and budgeting
- Inclusive technologies and digital skills
- Civic engagement and public service
- The arts and creative industries
- Health care, manufacturing, and sustainability
Students explore real-world workplaces and innovative organizations in their region, including Google, Duolingo, Carnegie Science Center, Heinz History Center, Sustainable Pittsburgh, Blair Conservation, UPMC, AHN STAR Center, Sheetz Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence, Digital Foundry at New Kensington, Lockheed Martin, DeVilbiss, Windber Research Institute, WQED, UpStreet, Moonshot Museum, LAMPIRE Biological Laboratories, and more.
They also learn from inspiring speakers such as Nayli Russo, Linsey Covert, Jeff Remington, Delvina Morrow, Kyle Wyche, Mike Hruska, Brian Burkett, and the teams from Pittsburgh Tech Council, PART, Schools That Can, Everfi, BUILD, and many more.
Through hands-on experiences and small-group discussions, students have built the confidence to speak in public, lead projects, collaborate across differences, and express themselves with clarity and purpose.
You don’t just sit in a classroom for six hours straight. You travel to a lot of different places. The activities opened a lot more career opportunities for me. I learned that I am open to a lot more things and discovered a lot of new places. This program also helped me develop communication skills. During my first week I wasn’t as open to talk to people as I am now.
In 2023, Summer Discovery expanded into Central Pennsylvania through a partnership with Allegheny Intermediate Unit 8 (AIU8), creating new cohorts in Altoona and Johnstown and deepening the program’s reach across the Commonwealth. This growth reflects the power of Penn State’s land-grant mission in action: investing in communities, preparing young people for the future, and creating pathways to education and opportunity.
Penn State Community Connections
Summer Discovery also brings students to Penn State campuses—including University Park, Altoona, Greater Allegheny, Behrend, and others—providing a first-hand experience of college life. Students tour classrooms, labs, and residence halls, meet faculty, and engage with current students, helping them envision themselves as part of the Penn State community.
These visits build familiarity and confidence around higher education while highlighting the opportunities, support networks, and vibrant campus life that await them. Many students report that these connections make the idea of attending college more tangible and inspiring.
At Penn State, it felt like everyone had each other’s backs. The way people talked about the school, the opportunities, and the alumni network all made me feel like I’d be stepping into a community that actually cares. I can see myself going there!
A Space to Belong and to Grow
One of the most powerful aspects of the program is the community it builds. Each summer, students are paired with peers from high schools and neighborhoods they may never have encountered otherwise, creating bonds that last far beyond the program. They learn and work alongside each other, discovering new things about themselves and each other. The program has seen students go from strangers to friends to college roommates.
I really think my favorite memory was the whole program, to be honest. It was an amazing time I had meeting and spending time with not only the other seniors, but instructors too! My cohort really became a family and there’s nothing else to it.
This environment is supported by a team of dedicated educators and mentors—more than 30 instructors and junior instructors over the years—who guide students through hands-on experiences, conversations, and self-discovery. Many return year after year because they see firsthand how the program transforms lives. Instructors learn alongside students, modeling curiosity, growth, and resilience.
In 2025, the program came full circle. Chiara and Christian, members of the very first Summer Discovery cohort, returned as a junior instructor and intern to lead and inspire the next generation. Their journey from students to mentors reflects the heart of Summer Discovery—a place where young people grow, give back, and carry the community forward.
Community Service: Giving Back Locally
Each year, students participate in a Community Service Day, learning the value of civic engagement while giving back to their communities. Service projects take them to organizations such as Sunny’s Community Garden, 412 Food Rescue, Manchester Youth Development Center, Blair Senior Services, St. Vincent DePaul, Backpack Project of Cambria County, The ARC of Blair County, and local trail and field cleanups.
I really enjoyed volunteering at Sunny’s Community Garden. We had so much fun painting the fences and stepping stones, and we learned a lot about the local community and how we can become more involved.
These experiences teach students leadership, teamwork, and empathy, while deepening their connection to the places they call home.
More Than a Program—A Lifelong Network
Summer Discovery is just the beginning. The Readiness Institute team stays connected with students well beyond the program, and well beyond high school. Whether they go to college, start a career, or take another path, we’re there for the journey.
We help students with:
- Navigating college applications and choosing majors
- Writing scholarship essays and completing the FAFSA
- Providing letters of recommendation
- Finding mentors and internship opportunities
- Attending reunions, events, and check-ins throughout the year
Many alumni stay engaged through the Readiness Institute Alumni Network, and a growing number are now Penn State students themselves—seeing firsthand that higher education, and especially Penn State, is not only possible but welcoming and empowering.
The skills our students learn while enrolled in Summer Discovery kick-start their career planning and preparation with leadership and employability skills that are transferrable to any trade or industry. We had several students participate, and they not only raved about their experience, but helped us recruit students to apply.
A Lasting Impact
The impact of Summer Discovery can’t just be measured in numbers—though they are impressive. It’s measured in the stories of students who discovered their voice, found their people, explored a new passion, or decided to take a chance on college. It’s in the parents who tell us their child came home more confident. It’s in the schools and communities that see the ripple effects of what happens when a young person is truly seen, heard, and supported.
Being successful doesn’t mean you have a 4.00 GPA, or that you’re involved with a million things, or that you’re working a full-time job in exactly what you always wanted to do. The program taught us that success wasn’t defined by what we put out into the world. This has been especially helpful within the context of my time at Penn State because there have been times when I needed to remind myself that I don’t need to be perfect to be successful.
At its heart, Summer Discovery is about readiness for life, and that’s exactly what the Readiness Institute and Penn State are here to provide.
Here’s to five incredible years and the many discoveries still to come.
