Anne Liu, WH ‘ 26, Philadelphia, PA
This summer, I had the opportunity to work with elementary students in Philadelphia through a local education nonprofit. Many of my students came from underprivileged backgrounds with limited family or financial support for academic growth. Several were English language learners who could not afford private tutoring. With guidance, I helped students move from struggling with basic phonetics to reading more complex words with confidence. For those facing behavioral challenges, I focused on building consistent study habits in smaller group settings. Though progress was gradual, I saw real changes in how these students approached learning, and their growth reaffirmed my commitment to education as a tool for empowerment.
This work was personal to me as a first-generation, low-income student who benefited from similar programs in my own childhood. The scholarship I received allowed me to focus on supporting my students without the burden of financial stress. It covered my travel and living expenses and gave me the ability to devote my time and energy to teaching. Knowing firsthand how transformative these programs can be, it was rewarding to give back and help the next generation of students build confidence and stronger academic foundations.
Looking back, this experience strengthened both my professional and personal goals. I saw the direct impact of educational support on students’ lives, and I now feel motivated to pursue nonprofit consulting in the future. My aim is to help organizations like this expand their reach through strategic operations, fundraising, and program development. This summer was not only about teaching phonics or guiding classroom behavior; it was about bridging the education gap and investing in the future of students who remind me of myself. The program is also hiring interested UPenn students, so feel free to reach out to me if you are interested in this field of work.
This is part of a series of posts by recipients of the 2025 Career Services Summer Funding Grant. We’ve asked funding recipients to reflect on their summer experiences and talk about the industries in which they spent their summer. You can read the entire series here
