Experience
Parents
“As parent’s of three children, who are now adults, education has always been a major priority. With over thirty years in business, I have witnessed the importance and value of a well rounded education that includes practical, real world life and business experience. I have hired hundreds of individuals over the years and I have found that a balance between education and practical experience tends to provide the best employees. When choosing a college for my youngest daughter, it was the emphasis on real world experience with a balanced education that led us to Albion College. During the recruiting and interview process, practical experience was emphasized as part of the total education process. We wanted to ensure our daughter was ready for a successful and rewarding career when she graduates. As we researched work/education options, the Philadelphia Center, was the program we felt best offered our daughter what we were looking for. We couldn’t be more pleased. Our daughter received an excellent educational experience along with a tremendous work/life experience. From identifying a place to live, negotiating rent, paying bills and learning her way around a major city to preparing a resume, attending job interviews and balancing work and school, The Philadelphia Center provided everything we were looking for. The college student we left in September had grown into a confident, grounded and well rounded adult when we picked her up in December. She had a tremendous work experience, a terrific educational opportunity and absolutely grew her repertoire of business and communication skills and abilities. Throughout the experience, she was supported, assisted, educated and provided guidance by the Philadelphia Center team. She stays in close contact with many of the educators, students and co-workers she met during her experience. She was even provided a future job opportunity, after graduation, by her employer. I would highly recommend the Philadelphia Center to any parent and student looking for the optimal experience of education, practical and rewarding employment experience and a safe, nurturing life experience.” Chris Nemeth on daughter Emily, Fall 2010, Albion College
“I would definitely recommend the Philadelphia Center for students looking for an urban professional semester. Emily’s internship at The Philadelphia Orchestra directly related to her career goal. In addition, she benefited from the experience of living, working and studying in Philadelphia. Finding an apartment, dealing with utilities and insurance, making new friends, seeking and taking advantage of diverse cultural opportunities—all have better equipped her for life after college and resulted in cherished memories.” Evelyn Yoder on daughter Emily, Spring 2005, Bucknell University
“We found the program to be a very unique and engaging education experience for our daughter. Our daughter learned “real world” living skills under controlled conditions: gaining a better understanding of budgeting time and resources and a great learning of self-sufficiency while living in chorus with others. Working for a nationally known production company as a junior in college is a big deal. Her resume has been viewed by a GM at a Greater Cincinnati major network affiliate who gave her a personal call inviting her to join their team after graduation. She also received a huge compliment on the resume from a syndicated talk show host.” Mark Reynolds on daughter K.C., Spring 2004, Hanover College
“She came back with a confidence that I had not seen before. A confidence to engage in the business world that cannot be taught…I would highly recommend this to any student.” Dr. Richard Hinchman on daughter Stephanie, Spring 2004, Hanover College
“Absolutely an excellent program for students…It gives the child a major dose of reality. It taught her [our daughter] to be independent; she learned the expectations of a full time job.” Andrew Rosenfield on daughter Marie Trijo, Spring 2004, Hanover College
“My heartfelt thanks to all of the staff at The Philadelphia Center for creating such a wonderful program. Portia gained confidence, through your rich and sound guidance, on how to identify and contact organizations that offered job prospects and how to then pursue them with persistence. She gained exposure to all manner of the promotional aspects of running a regional performing arts center. She subsequently developed a portfolio that is so impressive, that I (a communications professional myself) have seldom seen. And, to her credit for her hard work, the Kimmel has offered her a permanent position when she graduates! I am a very grateful parent. Thank you so much for helping my daughter become a young woman of greater conviction, experience and one with a vision for her future that could not have happened were it not for the deep resources your programs provide to your students.” Ann Becker Gommers, parent of Portia Becker, Fall 2005, Loyola University
“Mark Clark was the best teacher she has had in her college experience. He really connected with her and motivated her in amazing ways. Through The Philadelphia Center she started working with autistic children and found a great job to practice the methodologies she had learned. She had an incredible experience that set her on her path. The program was great for becoming independent—having an apartment, living on her own, the whole thing was really, really terrific. She loved Philadelphia!” Sasha Anawalt, on daughter Katie, Spring 2005, Oberlin College
“I would highly recommend The Philadelphia Center experience to any student and their family. The internship aspect in itself is such a beneficial undertaking. Many theoretical, imagines career options are viewed in reality; lending credibility to existing choices or valuable frustration-saving changes in direction. Undiscovered paths make themselves know as possibilities. For our family, the experience of my daughter living in Philadelphia was such a positive, enriching endeavor. Growing up in a small, tourist town in northeast Michigan, the city’s multicultural face with its abundance of ethnic, creative, and historical venues was another of the life-changing adventures that has rounded out the character and expanded the vision of my daughter’s future. She leaves Philadelphia anxious to discover the rest of the world, and looking forward to revisiting this wonderful ‘City of Brotherly Love’”. Lue Ann Schmidt parent of Jennifer Anderson, Spring 2006, Alma College