SPARKS Outreach Intern
LOCATION
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Fingerprint/background clearance is required.Educator's fingerprint check required. Costs covered by Access- ASU. Process will begin first week of the academic semester, but will not limit service/availability.
SCHEDULE OPTIONS
Semester availability
FallSpring
Service hours
MorningAfternoon
Evening
Weekend
Available days/hours
- Have general availability between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday- Friday
- Position requires occasional evenings and weekends due to events
-Must be accountable, punctual, and flexible
REQUIRED/DESIRED SKILLS
- Passion for promoting higher education
- Experience working with diverse student groups such as first-generation, low socioeconomic status, and minority K-10th grade students
- Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
- Outstanding communication skills as this position requires the ability to speak in front of large public audiences
- Desire to work in a community service driven environment
- Recruitment experience a plus
CATEGORIES
EducationMentoring
Youth (direct interaction)
Youth II: 5-11 years (K-6th grades)
Youth III: 11-14 years (6th-9th grades)
Youth IV: 14-18 years (high school)
COMMUNITY PARTNER
SPARKS
ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP
Duties
Housed within the Office of Educational Outreach and Student Services, Access ASU Prepares Arizona students to enroll and succeed at Arizona State University. We provide college readiness programming and events in partnership with school districts and community based organizations to serve schools, families, and students grades K-10.
SPARKS is a para-professional organization that aims to increase college aspirations and awareness of the educational opportunities available to underrepresented students who do not have a tradition of higher education in their family. SPARKS does this by providing real life experiences of college students through various presentations and workshops.
Duties include but are not limited to:
- Share real life college experiences with underrepresented students through student panels, student networking, and/or campus tours
- Serve as a role model and mentor to K-10th grade students all over the valley
- Recruit volunteers
Population served
• Low socioeconomic status (SES)
– Determined by income, occupation, and employment
– Poverty threshold
– Low-income families are more likely to have parents who are not, themselves, college educated
• Minorities
– Why at risk? Not finances!
– Ability and awareness
• 1st Generation
– Access/information/environmental factors
– Values and goals of the individual strongly influenced by the education of his/her parents
Community need/impact
The message SPARKS members share with our community is POWERFUL. We educate our future leaders, students, and change makers so that they too can one day help others pursue a higher education they did not know was possible.
• One million students a year drop out of high school
• Only ¼ of the U.S. adult population has at least a bachelor’s degree
In addition:
• 1% increase in college attainment equals $3.1 billion increase in per capita income in the Phoenix Metro Area
• Higher output and incomes for the local economy
• Salary levels:
- 4-year degree: $52,000
- 2-year degree: $38,000
- High school diploma: $30,400
- No high school diploma: $23,400
• Lower crime rates
• Greater and more informed civic participation
• Improved personal health
• Charitable giving increases
• Enhanced social skills
• Higher probabilities of degree attainment in future generations
• Greater awareness of human achievement
• Appreciation for cultural diversity
• Consumer choices are more rational and efficient
