Justin Aglio: Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Readiness Institute Speaker Series of Justin Allio, Director of the Readiness since 2, and the Readiness Institute of Penn State enables education, industry, and community partners to coordinate, collaborate, and create a
Justin Aglio: experiences for learners to achieve community and future readiness. And today, on the Speaker series. We are had to have the privilege to talk to someone to speak to someone today. That's no stranger to the Readiness Institute.
Justin Aglio: our new alumni network coordinator, Mr. Fred Quinn. Fred, how are you today? I'm doing all right. How are you? I couldn't be better. I'm. I'm here. I'm, I'm talking to you
Justin Aglio: right about a very exciting opportunity at the Readiness Institute for all learners to help them achieve community and future readiness.
Justin Aglio: And i'm thrilled that you have the the the You're the founding alumni network coordinator of the Readiness Institute. So before we go and talk about the Readiness Institute, the alumni network.
Justin Aglio: I want everyone to get to know the Fred that I know. And so, Fred, if you have a couple of minutes, can you share a little bit about your personal and professional pathway journey, and how you got to become the new director of the Alumni Network Coordinator at the Readiness Institute.
Fred Quinn III: Well, thank you. First and foremost, I want to say Thank you for this opportunity. I think this is really cool.
Fred Quinn III: so I have a very extensive history in education. It goes back to my early days in college I actually did a semester at American University. It was the Mexican exchange program between American University and Morehouse College, where I actually internal capital here with the national alliance of black school educators. So from then I got to learn the in the
Fred Quinn III: the out of work and their workings of education, and how it works, and it made me, you know, become more passionate about education. From there I actually went on to Americorps in Pittsburgh, where I served in the Keys Service core Through there I worked with a bread of you project in Bradford, Pennsylvania, as well as the Summer Dreamers Academy of Pittsburgh public schools, and I think with pizza public schools in the Summer Dreamers Academy. I was just so excited, and I loved it so much that I went on to do that. For 3 years
I'm. From there
Fred Quinn III: I just kept going. So I actually relocated to the Prince George's County, Maryland area, where I worked at Hybrid Academy For 6 years I worked as an assistant teacher first, and I worked my way up to a transition coordinator, which is kind of similar to what I do now.
From there I relocated back to Pittsburgh, where I got the call from Justin about some Readiness Institute, and being an instructor for the first summer I was very excited, very eager to get in.
Fred Quinn III: and the first summer was an absolute success.
Fred Quinn III: From there I went on to become the offsite Coordinator for the second year, as well as the Project Assistant for the Readiness Institute, where we did different forums at different Penn State campuses, whether it's about college or future readiness, artificial intelligence, and a of a variety of topics, and
Fred Quinn III: I wanted to stay. I want to get on board even more with the Readiness Institute, because I just believe in their mission and their power. So I was able to interview with the Alumni Network Coordinator position, and luckily I got it. So now i'm here, and I'm just very excited to take what I've learned over the past 10 plus years, and bring it to the learners we have at the ready to sens to.
Justin Aglio: and everyone. You could see why i'm so excited to talk to Fred today. What an amazing background that was almost like you Remote it.
Justin Aglio: You're a whole.
Justin Aglio: We talked a little bit about you.
Justin Aglio: and so but let's get to the Alumni Network coordinator position.
Justin Aglio: and I want to encourage everyone who's listening today, and future listeners. If you have questions, reach out to us. But if you're listening today.
Justin Aglio: drop some things in the chat as well, and we have our program manager in my hands, working the chat and behind the scenes with the zoom. So thank you, Emma, who is our program manager at the readiness instance. So Fred, tell us about the alumni Network coordinator position.
Fred Quinn III: Yes. S0 0nce our learners go through the 6 weeks Summer Readiness Institute program. We want to continue that support after they leave our program. So my job as the Alumni Network Coordinator, I'll be coordinating and documenting and different, you know, alumni communication. So my job will be to reach out to these learners once they finish our program to see what they're up to, and see if that can be of any support to them, planning different events, whether in person or virtual, whether it's a speaker series like this, or if it's an event to, you know. Help with
Fred Quinn III: financial aid or scholarships, or just even applying to school.
I'll be helping communicate with the learners on that aspect as well, and also just being there for them if they need
Fred Quinn III: a resource for anything. So you can, you know, as long as it can reach out to me and say, hey, you know i'm looking for an internship in marketing, and my job will be to g0 0ut and find different marketing internships in the region and see one that will best fit them. We're here for recommendation letters, anything that the numbers may need in order to be a successful
Fred Quinn III: young adult and hopefully come back to the Pittsburgh region to get a job here settled down in Pittsburgh, and actually come back and help us up the readiness.
Justin Aglio: Fred, I love that on so many different levels. I love the fact that
Justin Aglio: you're there to help them. Yours.
Justin Aglio: professional life, whether it's, transformational or transitional stages of their life.
Fred Quinn III: Yeah, I totally agree. You're successful. What do you? What do you think about that statement?
Fred Quinn III: Yeah, I agree. I I feel like, if they're doing well in life, and I was. I was able to be a pivotal point in that to get them to where they their goals are. Oh, i'm definitely successful with. They are so. I always sell the students. I want them to be more successful than me, no matter what they do. So, watching them even now like getting to their dream schools for the majors they want to, and getting these scholarships, and I just want them to do as much as they can and listen to
Fred Quinn III: sky is the limit. So as long as they're being as successful as possible. I know i'm doing my job right, so i'm very excited about that.
Just just really amazing the the impact that you get to have
Justin Aglio: on their life. And I think that's what the the Readiness Institute is, it's about preparing
Justin Aglio: learners for life, and
Justin Aglio: gets you up in the morning, jazzed up ready to go and say, this is what i'm really excited about in this role.
Fred Quinn III: I think the most exciting thing for me is connecting with the students. Honestly, I think, learning their backgrounds and their stories as a person who is from Pittsburgh, grew up in the hill district. I didn't get opportunities like this, especially getting the support after the summer programs. I've been in many summer programs growing up, but after that
Fred Quinn III: I didn't get my support. So, being able to just
Fred Quinn III: be there for the students, especially at a time like this Post Covid, where the support is needed. Now, more than ever I get up every morning just knowing that
Fred Quinn III: someone may. One of the members may need me for anything, whether it's a recommendation letter, an internship.
Fred Quinn III: or just even to talk. I had to learn to reach out to me recently to talk about some of the curriculum in their class, and how they can better approach that. And we had a nice, long detailed conversation. We were actually able to meet up and in person, and have that conversation which was really cool. So I love getting up every morning just knowing that
Fred Quinn III: i'm going to be that help for them, and that resource for them, and continue on the promise we made at the read this Institute that we are with these learners for live.
Justin Aglio: Yeah, I love that, and we talk about supporting them, and you're supporting them.
Justin Aglio: But you're also helping them support each other
Justin Aglio: things that you're working on, and or ideas or opportunities that you're creating for these learners to get together and be successful in the future. I know I know you have some short terms of long term plans.
Fred Quinn III: I'm jazz
Fred Quinn III: for these students. So after the summer we know it's kind of hard to keep up with people, even when you graduate High school. Everybody kind of goes their own way and does their own thing. So we wanted to kind of
Fred Quinn III: still bridge that connection amongst the learners themselves. They build a such a great camaraderie throughout the summer. So we're looking at a different social media, such as like discord, or we can create a group
Fred Quinn III: in a in a in a room where people can share opportunities with each other. We can plan different events and post them in there, and just if they need to reach out to support from one another. I think that's very important for them to continue that relationship that they built over the summer
Fred Quinn III: We do have some in-person events. We want to plan each cohort. Usually we plan a reunion for them every year, so we have 2 cohorts. Now that we have to plan for which is really exciting. But just whether it's, you know, Dave and Busters and Bowling, or if it's a trip to the pirates game, something that'll just bring us all together one more time. And just remember what the Readiness Institute of done for all of us.
Fred Quinn III: We are actually also looking into, maybe creating some internships within the Readiness Institute. I think that's going to be one of the the major things that will bring some of our learners back.
Fred Quinn III: We have so many eager learners that want to come back and speak to the future students of the Revenue Institute, so creating an internship where they can get some experience, maybe even some college credits while continuing to help the to future learners that they once been through. I think
Fred Quinn III: that opportunity there, all those in the works that's going to be the one that really gets the learners going.
Justin Aglio: Wow! Well.
Justin Aglio: I tell you i'm excited for the future of this region because of the things that are happening presently right now. And, Fred, I want to thank you for leading the way as the new coordinator.
Justin Aglio: the like. You said the sky is the limit, and I want to thank you for your time today for our Speaker series.
Justin Aglio: and I hope that people are listening. Have have walk away with this amazing opportunity. So if you want to learn more about the readiness instead, or the summer program, today is January twenty-threerd, and we have applications that are going to be closing at the end of March for the 2,023 summer program cohort so if you're interested, go to the readiness. Inst. To psu.edu do an application. It's in the chat we'd love to
Justin Aglio: for you to apply is for Allegheny County, Pittsburgh Public School students and all you need to county students.
Justin Aglio: prominent Republic or charter public schools. So please feel free to apply. We're looking for rising high school seniors that are current juniors right now. So again, Fred, Thank you for your time today, Emma. Thank you for your time and expertise, and Fred before we close out any final words.
Fred Quinn III: Yes, I I want to again encourage you all to apply to the Readiness Institute. You'll get to work with me. And, as we said before, you're with us for life. So just know with these learners that we will be there for them whatever they need, and we want them to be as successful as possible. So I wish you all the best of luck, and I hope to see some of your learners this summer.
Justin Aglio: Thank you, Fred. What a great resource that the learners have to have, and you and the region, and working with all of us.
Justin Aglio: and they also get paid $2,000 to attend. So that's a pretty good incentive to so. But anyways, thanks a lot. Folks for tuning in. We appreciate you everything you do, and if you like to work with your ready, in a sense, to to partner with us anyways to support our young learners. Please reach out to us. Our information is on our website again@readinessinsuitpsu.led, you have any questions about the alumni network.
Justin Aglio: Please reach out to Fred his emails on our website as well. Thank you, everyone, and have a wonderful day.
Fred Quinn III: Thank you.