ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Students across the Lehigh Valley will get life lessons Tuesday in making the leap from the classroom to a career at an all-day conference hosted by The Thrive Hub.
The Career Exploration Conference is being held in person at Muhlenberg College for the first time. It was virtual last year, because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Thrive Hub is a nonprofit that aims to help historically unrepresented students go from the classroom to a career while being supported financially, physically and emotionally.
- Area high schoolers are set to get career and life lessons as part of a career exploration conference Tuesday
- It's being held by The Thrive Hub, a nonprofit group helping under-represented kids
- Students will get advice on being successful and healthy
Rosalind Lucien founded the group in 2021. She said more than 150 primarily ninth- through 12th-graders from throughout the Lehigh Valley, Reading and the Poconos will get advice on academic success, physical and mental health, personal and professional development and financial fitness.
“Success is not just having a 4.0" grade-point average, Lucien said. “It doesn’t matter if you have the best grades if you’re depressed or you suffer from anxiety. We’re trying to model for the children to have balance in their lives.”
There also will be a keynote address by Stephanie Lugo, also known as Ms. Robotics, who is a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, or STEM, consultant.
Students also will be able to participate one-on-one with professionals in a variety of industries in a networking session.
“The goal is for the students to be so excited that they’re going to be ready to take some ownership over their next steps and leave with a battery charged in their backs."Rosalind Lucien, founder of The Thrive Hub
Lucien said she hopes students walk away from the day with a plan for the future.
“The goal is for the students to be so excited that they’re going to be ready to take some ownership over their next steps and leave with a battery charged in their backs,” she said.
“Being excited about their future.”
The event is being sponsored by several organizations, including Muhlenberg College Office of Multicultural Affairs, Easton School District, the United Way of the Lehigh Valley, along with several businesses and other nonprofits.
