Welcome Remarks
Welcome to the landing page of the 2021 Pre-College virtual program! Here you will find general information on the virtual experience such as RA/CA staff introductions, video guides, and orientation information.
Below, you will find a video from the Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students Gina Casalegno, providing a message to the 2021 Pre-College Online Program.
Also you here is a welcome address from Amy Dicker, the Assistant Director for Pre-College Student Life, introducing herself and discussing the Pre-College Program.
We are so excited for the program to begin!
Meet the 2021Student Life Staff
Amy Dicker (She/Her):
Assistant Director for Pre-College Student Life
Amy came to CMU by way of a 20 year career in nonprofits of many varieties: camps, leadership programs, hospitals, and nonprofit start ups. As varied as her career has been, her educational path was also nontraditional, starting by studying cultural anthropology at the University of Pittsburgh after high school and ending in Psychology at Carlow University in 2016.
"I love working with highschoolers because 'they are who they are' and the undergrads who work with them because 'they are just figuring it out'."
Amy is thrilled to partner with CMU and local resources to help both of those groups be the best they can be, while also helping them 'just be young adults' in between Zooms.
Kai Ell-Denazen (They/Them):
Community Advisor & Program Coordinator
Major: Mediated Storytelling through Performance and Technology, 2022
"I am aiming to strengthen my community practice work, make lots of connections, and build an active community that outlives this summer!"
"I choose to spend my summer with Virtual Pre-College 2021 because every summer I spend with Pre-College brings me new skills and memories that I cherish. I care about community, and this is work that centers community!"
Andy Kim (He/Him):
Community Advisor
Major: Bachelors of Humanities & Arts (Undecided) and Art, 2024
"I want to rehabilitate my social skills and become a more communicative person through Virtual Pre-College 2021."
"I choose to spend my summer with Virtual Pre-College 2021 because it provides a way for me to reach out to others and learn from them in an educational, informal way. Plus, it's going to be interesting!”
Christina (Jingzhi) Zhou (She/Her):
Community Advisor
Major: Chemistry, 2023
"I hope to explore art and science, the grandeur of nature, simple or complex questions about myself and all of you. I hope to listen to your stories and celebrate every little victory you achieve here in Virtual Pre-College 2021@CMU."
"I choose to spend my summer with Pre-College 2021: simply because I enjoy watching people make progress and grow little-by-little, step-by-step, inspiring or being inspired by everyone around me, and helping more students become professionals as well as better selves."
Colby Yu (He/Him):
Community Advisor
Major: Decision Science with a Business Administration Minor, 2021
"I am excited to work with Pre-College because I see this opportunity as a way to contribute to the minds of growing individuals and can disperse my knowledge and advice to those in the greater community"
"I chose to spend my summer at Pre-College because I believe the past few years have really made me grow as a person and the knowledge I was able to gain can be beneficial to to the students enrolled in this program."
Clare (Clarisse) Brown (She/Her):
Resident Advisor
Major: Math & Ethics and History & Public Policy, 2023
"I'm so excited to meet a diverse group of students and help them prepare for college. I choose to spend my summer with Virtual Pre-College 2021 because of the difference I can make in these students' lives, and the difference they can make in my life!"
Katherine Casarrubias (She/Her):
Resident Advisor
Major: Mellon College of Science (Undeclared)
"I want to create an environment for students that makes them feel excited and comfortable to engage in. I want students to feel comfortable coming to me for help or advice in the midst of so much global uncertainty, and with that I hope students can distract themselves from so much chaos by trying new things and forming new bonds."
“I choose to spend my summer with Virtual Pre-College 2021 because I want students to know that they too can achieve their goals no matter their background."
Baris Denizli (He/Him):
Resident Advisor
Major: English Language and Culture, 2022
“Something I want to accomplish with Pre-College 2021 is providing students with a meaningful experience that emulates the Carnegie experience despite the restrictions of the current COVID pandemic."
“I choose to spend my summer with Virtual Pre-College 2021 because I empathize with those who are unable to experience these events first-hand. Having spent two semesters at home, I understand the impact that COVID has on mental health. I wanted to alleviate stress, and provide an avenue in which memories can be made, and fun can be had."
Sabine Jung (She/Her):
Resident Advisor
Major: BXA in Biological Sciences and Cello Performance, 2023
“something special I want to accomplish with Virtual Pre-College 2021is becoming better at supporting others and fostering a welcoming environment."
“I choose to spend my summer with Virtual Pre-College 2021 because I want to interact with and get to know prospective students better!"
Nya Lewis (She/Her):
Resident Advisor
Major: Japanese Studies, 2024
"I want to get better at communication, and hopefully contribute to a better experience for the 2021 pre-college class."
"I had previously been in Pre-college myself, and would like to share the experiences I had."
Rose McDermott (She/Her):
Resident Advisor
Major: Mechanical Engineering, 2024
“I choose to spend my summer with Virtual Pre-College 2021 because I want students to grow to love CMU the way I did!"
Myles Robinson (He/Him):
Resident Advisor
Major: Mechcanical Engineering, 2023
"I want to make the Hyperloop affordable and efficient in the long run”
“I chose to spend my summer with Pre-College 2021 because I want to make sure incoming students do not feel the same stress I did when I first started school here”
Audrey Young (She/Her):
Resident Advisor
Major: Mechanical & Biomedical Engineering, 2023
"Carnegie Mellon is one of those places that you could explore for years and continue to be surprised every day. There is so much charm in our campus and our people, and I’m sad that this year’s pre-College Program won’t be able to experience all of that, but I hope that through the Virtual Pre-College, students can connect with like-minded people and learn more about what makes our school unique."
"I choose to spend my summer with Virtual Pre-College 2021 because I think it’s important to support students at all ages. At 16, it’s nearly impossible for most people to know exactly what they want to do in life or where they want to be. Through this program, I want students to understand that they’re not alone and that they have a network of people who will support them and guide them in finding their niche."
You can learn more about our incredible RA/CA staff in their welcome videos below!
Events and Programming
Pre-College Student Life is working hard to offer students a wide variety of optional events, outside of academic class times, to enhance the overall student experience. These can include exercise classes, live-streamed tours of local hotspots, hangouts and trivia nights, movie screenings and maybe even Disney singalongs. In addition, students are welcome to use our resources to create their own events, from House Games competitions at local parks to instrument jams via Zoom or even begin a book club. We are dedicated to offering a large selection of and exposure to various events, such as what you would expect to get had we been an in-person program this year.
On-Demand Events
On-Demand events, ranging from bedtime story recordings to Group X classes, can be found on participants’ Canvas page upon CMU Login. Pre-College students have all access to campus resources, events, and offerings that the students, staff and faculty currently enjoy, via their Andrew ID. This includes Library Resources (and free access to NYT, WaPo, college directories, etc.), HeadSpace and so much more. Please call the office or email us with any questions regarding how to access.
Additional Learning Resources/Links:
Scenes from a Black trans life, by scholar and activist D-L Stewart (work)
Student Personal Resources:
National Crisis Lines:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-8255
Free and confidential 24/7 support for people in distress
Crisis Text Line
Text HOME to 741741
Free 24/7 crisis support in the U.S.
National Helpline
1-800-662-HELP (4357)
24/7 treatment referral and information
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender National Hotline (LGBT)
1-800-246-PRIDE (7743)
The Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ National Hotline)
1-866-488-7386
Or visit website to chat
Trans Lifeline
1-877-565-8860
Peer support hotline from 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. Eastern time
RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network)
1-800-273-8255
How to find a therapist in your area:
- Find out what your insurance benefits are. It would be helpful for you to know what your mental/behavioral health outpatient benefits are. Find out if you have a deductible and if there is a co-payment (out of pocket cost) for the services.
- Find out who your insurance covers. There are many times when you can access your insurance website for a list of providers in the area. If this is not readily available online you can also call them and ask them to fax/tell you a list of providers in your area.
- Narrow down your search. Once you have a list of therapists to choose from consider the following questions: do I have a gender preference? What area/location works better for me? Some therapists list areas of specializations, if that is the case, think what areas would be helpful to you.
- Identify two or three therapists. Because therapists may not always have openings or availabilities in the time frame that you want, we recommend you select two or three therapists from the list that meet your criteria. Be prepared to call and leave a clear message with your name and a phone number for them to reach you in order to schedule an appointment.
- Meeting your therapist. We encourage you to approach the first encounter with openness and honesty, while also recognizing that you are trying to find a therapist who feels like a good fit for you. Notice how you feel when you talk to the person, get a sense of what it feels like when you are with them, and attend to your level of comfort or discomfort with them.
The APA Psychologist Locator and the Psychology Today website can also help you find a provider in your area.