Alumni Information

ESP Then

Originally a part of the Tech Christian Association, then Tech Community Association, ESP has evolved into one of the most successful student groups at MIT. In 1957, a group of students got together to run SSP, the Summer Studies Program, which brought high school students to the MIT campus to learn anything in a fun environment. Building on that philosophy, ESP has expanded its presence both at MIT and in the Boston area to provide a number of amazing classes for local students – and to give MIT students the chance to create their own course material, teaching and volunteering to create a better world.

ESP Now

ESP brings together hundreds of MIT teachers and volunteers to enrich the educations of thousands of area students. Our programs benefit the MIT community, giving MIT students a chance to teach and develop their own courses, and raising MIT’s profile in the region; they also provide a substantial benefit to all of the children who attend and benefit from their experiences.

Programs

• Splash is our flagship program. For one weekend in November, hundreds of teachers offer classes of their own devising to over a thousand students. The result is an unparalleled atmosphere of discovery and learning, in an atmosphere that is both playful and serious.
• HSSP, the High School Studies Program, offers continuing courses for eight to ten sessions during the spring and summer. Our teachers get a chance to practice teaching longer courses, while students benefit from learning a subject in-depth.
• Delve offers AP courses to high school students who don’t have access to the curricula in their schools.
• SAT Prep offers low-cost SAT preparation courses, providing an alternative to Kaplan and Princeton Review for families unable to afford them.
• Prove It!, developed jointing with the math department at MIT, travels to middle schools and brings exciting mathematics to students there.
• Splash on Wheels is a program designed to expand our reach, taking our program to any high school willing to have us that’s in driving range.

As you can see, our programs are diverse and always expanding. We’re proud of our offering and services to the many communities we’re a part of, and hope to increase those services in future years.

ESP offers 100% financial aid to anyone demonstrating need.

Technology

ESP has an exciting website, with online registration and credit card payments for all our programs. We have completely digitized the registration process, working with a fleet of laptops in the lobby of building 13. With our new website and better word-of-mouth, we’ve cut down on catalog printing and mailing, saving on costs and helping the environment.

Expansion

The ESP model has been used at New York University, Stanford University, and the University of Iowa. Plans are underway to run a version of Splash at the University of Chicago this coming fall.

ESP Tomorrow

• ESP will continue to innovate in education, allowing our teachers to experiment with new course ideas and teaching techniques.
• At the same time, we’ve been working to improve the quality of our teaching with teacher training provided by the Teaching and Learning Laboratory at MIT and by providing teachers with more interaction with program directors and each other.
• We are continuing to develop new programs and ideas for how to improve education.
• We are also continuing to spread ESP’s philosophy, expanding Splash on Wheels and creating more programs at other colleges and universities across the US.

ESP and Our Alumni

Keeping in touch with our alumni has become incredibly important to us. We believe that we have much to learn from the experiences of those who’ve done this before and gone on to bigger projects beyond MIT. We want to hear your stories, but also hear your ideas for what else we can do and involve you in our programs!

Thank you so much for being a part of ESP. We couldn’t be where we are now without your help over the years, and we are certain to go on to even bigger and better things with your continued support!