DiscoverU started with a conversation among college access providers and school counselors. All were focused on increasing college readiness and access, but knew that there wasn’t a consistent “beyond high school” culture in our region. Many individual schools and organizations were holding “college days” and implementing career and college lessons, but the group felt that it’s important students have opportunities to explore post-high school options early and often, and there could be added power in having a regional day where everyone focused on career and college, using the same language, at the same time.
The first DiscoverU Day was held Wednesday, October 17, 2013. The day was selected to provide a strong start to the school year and to kick-off the many steps that are part of the college admissions process for seniors. It also coincided with students taking College Board Assessments such as the PSAT and SAT.
In 2014, DiscoverU expanded to a week-long campaign to offer more flexibility for participation by schools and the community. DiscoverU resources and participation have increased year after year, and perhaps most exciting is the sharing of ideas across the region for supporting career and college exploration.