Alumni

There are more than 600 alumni of the IHS WISE Program. They are all over the country, in school and at work. Many are studying for or are pursuing careers which were subjects of their WISE projects, such as science education, musical and theater arts, nursing, and sound production. Whatever their fields of study or work, our alumni are utilizing skills and knowledge gained in the program.

A recent comment from WISE alumna Ali Zieba, '06:

"...My project [learning and researching pilates]... really did open up a new career path for me. If it weren't for WISE I probably wouldn't have taken advantage of the connections I had, nor would I have gained the knowledge that helps me teach now. Looking back ... I realize now that everything I did during my project prepared me for going through certification...Let your students know that if they put a lot of thought and energy into their projects, it can literally change their lives, because it really did mine!"

And Avi Kommel, also class of 2006, writes

"I think [WISE] has contributed to where I am today more than any other class. The summer after senior year, Cam and I [partners in a project making and marketing snowboards] formed Antics Clothing, and while he is currently studying business in Reno, NV, I am studying Graphic Design at Champlain College, which has a phenomenal entrepreneurship mentoring program that reminds me a lot of WISE....[O]ur summer line of clothing will be in at least four stores.... We are currently working on deals with more shops, and we hope to have a printed catalogue by April.... I am writing a paper on experiential learning and why I believe these kinds of classes (like WISE) should be implemented in every high school, if not middle school."

Micah Adler a WISE student from the Class of 2000, is a graduate of the University of Washington where he double majored in Psychology and Communication. His interest in the field of psychology developed as a result of his WISE project. Micah conducted a study on male adolescent violence in America after the Columbine incident. “Micah's research project helped him not only understand various risk factors contributing to the epidemic of adolescent violence, but the importance of studying psychology and the positive impact research provides the world of mental health.”

http://www.asrcseattle.com/bios/adler.html

Brady Quirk-Garvan, Class of 2004, organized a 5 K race as a benefit for Better Housing for Tompkins County. He wrote in November 2008:

"I graduated from the College of Charleston in May and helped to pay my way through school by running a number of local (county council and statehouse) races in Charleston. After finishing up a few jobs there I went to southern Ohio and have spent the last 4 months working for the Obama campaign. Our area was very rural and not particularly open to the idea of an African American President at first which made the job all the more interesting. We ended up doing better then Kerry in all of our counties which I was really happy about.

I can't help but constantly think about WISE and the fact that my little foray into organizing the race is what gave me the guts to go do the same in politics.

Thanks!"