SwatTalk: The Swarthmore Summer Scholars Program

Over the past 20 years, Swarthmore has significantly expanded access for first-generation and low-income students;  nearly 25 percent of the student body are now Pell Grant recipients. For the past 11 years, the Swarthmore Summer Scholars Program (S3P) has supported many of these students as they transition to life at Swarthmore.

Since its founding in 2015, S3P has welcomed 16 incoming first-year students each summer to spend a month preparing for their first Swarthmore semester. The Summer Scholars — who are the first in their families to attend college or come from low-income backgrounds and share an interest in STEM fields — are provided a full academic immersion experience. The program includes coursework in math, lab science, and writing; mentorship from faculty, staff, and students; exposure to the many campus resources that are designed to support their academic and personal wellbeing; and community-building with fellow scholars — which is perhaps most important of all.

Associate Professor of Physics Ben Geller ’01 is the director of the Swarthmore Summer Scholars Program. Please join Ben for a conversation about the program's history, future goals, and how the College can further help first-generation and low-income students transition to life at Swarthmore. 

Registration Coming Soon

SwatTalk: In a League of Her Own: A Conversation with Women’s Baseball Pioneer Laura Hirai ’22

As a young girl, Laura Hirai ’22 fell in love with baseball. Growing up in Japan, she recalls her experience with the sport was not particularly gendered. It was not until she attempted to attend a baseball camp in the U.S., and was told it was only for boys, that she realized she may face some obstacles to achieving her diamond dreams. Like many Swarthmore students, Laura approached these obstacles as a challenge rather than a deterrent, and at 26 years old has become a global face of women's baseball. Her resumé includes being the first, and thus far only, woman to represent Great Britain in U18 baseball; becoming the first "ball girl" for the New York Yankees during the first Major League Baseball game played in England in 2019; and being drafted in the fifth round in the inaugural draft of the U.S.-based Women's Professional Baseball League, which is set to begin play in August. Laura also played varsity softball at Swarthmore. Please join Laura for a conversation with Ana Apostoleris Rivera '13 about her pioneering experiences and her insights on the future of women's baseball.

Laura Hirai '22 graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Arabic and Spanish. A dual-sport athlete at the international level, she is also the first person to represent Great Britain in both baseball and softball simultaneously at the national level, pitching at the European Baseball Championships in 2015 and 2017. One of only three European athletes selected in the inaugural Women's Professional Baseball League draft, Laura most recently helped Great Britain claim gold in women's baseball and bronze in softball at the European Championships, with both teams earning World Cup berths.

More Information & Registration Coming Soon