*Author Kayla Thorpe is a Summer VISTA Cohort Leader serving at Up2Us Sports.*

Andrew Viereck is an ambitious Summer VISTA serving at the Collegium Charter School in Exton, Pennsylvania. His role this summer is to grow the marketing presence at the Collegium Charter School. During a check-in call, Viereck opened up about his goals for the summer: to support Collegium's transition into fall programming and learn news skills. While working toward those goals this summer, he’s found confirmation this is everything he wants to do as a career.

*Summer VISTA Andrew Viereck serves as a Summer VISTA with Collegium Charter School.*

Why are you serving?

I chose to serve with Up2Us Sports this summer because of a shared interest in advancing athletics. The mission of Up2Us Sports aligns directly with my own personal goal of becoming an athletic administrator. I hope to take what I learn from this summer’s VISTA experience and help make a positive change in the future athletic program I serve.

Future goal/career pursuing?

I am currently employed as a Health and Physical Education Teacher. Now, I am seeking to transition my career into the world of athletic administration. My current goal is to one day become an Athletic Director at either the interscholastic or collegiate level. After graduating with my Masters in Sports Administration, I have been gaining experience in athletics through coaching and administrative roles.

How is serving at your host site now connected to your future plans?

Serving with the Collegium Charter School Athletic Department has been the ideal experience for me to help achieve my career goals. Every day I get to collaborate and learn from two accomplished Athletic Directors who oversee a large and successful athletic program. This first-hand experience assisting the planning and preparation of the upcoming fall athletic season for Collegium has me feeling confident to succeed in future opportunities.

What skills have you developed at your host site that will help your future career?

Working with the Collegium Athletic Department this summer has allowed me to develop so much as an aspiring athletic administrator. In just these few short weeks here at Collegium I have already been a part of inventory & budget meetings, conference sport by-law revisions, assisting the development of a community 5k race, social media content creation and planning, coordinating and publishing sports schedules, and simplifying and creating organizational documents for day to day operations.

What have you enjoyed the most at the host site that you have been a part of?

The thing I have enjoyed the most during my time at Collegium this summer has just been the day-to-day with the athletic department. I have a lot of respect for the job they do and all the planning that is required to operate a successful program. Being able to be part of every decision and pre-plan for the upcoming season has been an essential experience for me. I’m very grateful to have had this opportunity to gain connections with experienced administrators and the mentorship of the athletic department at Collegium Charter School.