College Essay Workshop
For St. Luke's rising seniors*: This popular workshop is designed to help students craft the strongest possible college essays by providing focused instruction on both the Common App personal statement and supplemental essays.
Across the workshop’s three days, members of the SLS College Counseling team and Upper School faculty will guide students through a series of brainstorming and outlining activities, combining meaningful self-reflection with story development and structure. There will be group work, one-to-one interactions, and the opportunity to work with each instructor.
Following our morning sessions, students are welcome to remain on campus in the afternoons if they would like a quiet and conducive environment in which to write and workshop drafts with the College Counseling team.
*Note: While enrollment in this workshop is limited to SLS students, we are happy to assist non-SLS students interested in potentially working with current and former members of the SLS faculty who provide individualized college essay support.
Across the workshop’s three days, members of the SLS College Counseling team and Upper School faculty will guide students through a series of brainstorming and outlining activities, combining meaningful self-reflection with story development and structure. There will be group work, one-to-one interactions, and the opportunity to work with each instructor.
Following our morning sessions, students are welcome to remain on campus in the afternoons if they would like a quiet and conducive environment in which to write and workshop drafts with the College Counseling team.
*Note: While enrollment in this workshop is limited to SLS students, we are happy to assist non-SLS students interested in potentially working with current and former members of the SLS faculty who provide individualized college essay support.
Instructors:
Sonia Bell
Alec Lebris
Hunter Martin
Stephen Vehslage
Session and additional instructor information below.
Sonia Bell
Alec Lebris
Hunter Martin
Stephen Vehslage
Session and additional instructor information below.
Session I - St. Luke's students only
June 12-14, 2023
9:00am - 12:00pm
COST: $300
Please contact Hunter Martin with questions regarding the workshop.
St. Luke’s College Essay Workshop Faculty
Sonia Bell
Sonia Bell is Director of College Counseling and a member of the English faculty at St. Luke’s School. She holds a B.A. in English from Spelman College, an M.L.A. from Johns Hopkins University, and completed the coursework and comprehensive exams toward a doctorate in linguistics at the University of Georgia. Ms. Bell has also served as Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD.
Alec Lebris
Alec LeBris is a member of the science faculty at St. Luke’s School and also serves as the 11th Grade Dean. He currently teaches Chemistry, Honors Chemistry, Honors Organic Chemistry, and acts as co-advisor to our STEM Scholars program. Prior to working at St. Luke's, Mr. LeBris was a high yield bond analyst at Chase Securities in Manhattan. He holds an A.B. in Biochemistry and Psychology from Bowdoin College and an M.S. in Chemistry from the University of Rhode Island where his research focused on physical organic chemistry.
Hunter Martin
Hunter Martin is a member of the faculty at St. Luke’s School, where he teaches Modern World History, Honors Modern World History, AP European History, and interdisciplinary senior electives. He leads St. Luke’s Summer Program and assists seniors with their college essays during the school year. Mr. Martin holds a Ph.D. in History from the University of Wisconsin, where his scholarship focused on the intellectual traditions and cultural politics of Europe during the twentieth century.
Stephen Vehslage
Stephen Vehslage is Associate Director of College Counseling at St. Luke's School, where he also teaches A.P. US Government & Politics. Before arriving at St. Luke's, Mr. Vehslage was a long-time member of the faculty at New Canaan High School. He holds a B.A. in English from Princeton University and a law degree from New York University School of Law. In addition, Mr. Vehslage is a graduate of the Teacher Preparation Program at Yale University, where he completed a course of studies in secondary education.
St. Luke’s School is a secular (non-religious), private school in New Canaan, CT for grades 5 through 12 serving over 30 towns in Connecticut and New York. Our exceptional academics and diverse co-educational community foster students’ intellectual and ethical development and prepare them for top colleges. St. Luke’s Center for Leadership builds the commitment to serve and the confidence to lead.
