As our recent high school graduates prepare to begin college, Project Accelerate is working to ensure that these young women have the skills to navigate whatever challenges lie ahead. Just this past weekend, Girls Inc. college freshmen gathered at UAB for Project Accelerate’s College Success Summit. Held at the Collat School of Business, the event was designed to help young women develop skills that will empower their academic success.

Instructors helped to de-mystify note-taking, study skills, and talking to professors. Sessions were provided for both parents and girls to learn about finances and financial aid, including how to access additional scholarships and grant opportunities to help continue their college education. 

These incoming freshmen gained knowledge on how to plan their semesters, get involved on their campus, and access their school’s resources both online and offline. From locating Career Services on a campus map to logging into their school’s online portal, each student was set up for success. The final element of the Summit emphasized safety, and helped participants build self-defense skills as well as understand their rights as a student. 

For rising high school juniors and seniors, Project Accelerate is providing an ACT Bootcamp this week in collaboration with College Admissions Made Possible. These workshops help our participants prepare for college entrance exams, resulting in increased confidence and higher scores. 

Next month, Project Accelerate is kicking off a new year of mentoring! We’re still looking for mentors from a variety of professions to invest in our high school and college participants. Our current group of mentees are interested in the following career paths listed below. 

• Physical Therapy/Sports Medicine
• Entrepreneurship 
• Cosmetology 
• Food Science
• Nursing
• Marketing
• Veterinary Science
• Attorney/Law
• Pharmacy
• Math/Research
• Counseling
• Ornithology
• Engineering
• Acting/Entertainment 
• Broadcast Journalism
• Dentistry

This summer and beyond, Project Accelerate is equipping young women with valuable skills and knowledge to succeed academically and in their future careers. Join in the effort and invest in the next generation of leaders with Project Accelerate today! If you or someone you know works in one of the listed industries and would like to uplift young women through mentoring, reach out to Nichole Morris at smorris@girlsinccentral-al.org.

This article was featured in the July 2023 issue of the Bold Bulletin, our monthly e-newsletter. For more stories like this in your inbox, sign up below!