“I love when a student tells me, ‘You get me,’ because I think that’s what they all really want—to be seen, heard, and understood,” says Cali Ingram. Building rapport with students is one of the most critical aspects of her role as College and Career Readiness Program Coordinator, she explains, adding that “they may not always remember your words, but they will remember how you made them feel.”
After interning with Little Bit and then working part time while attending classes at UMSL, Ingram accepted a full-time position with Little Bit’s College and Career Readiness (C&CR) team because, she says, “I wanted to be part of helping students push against the status quo and take advantage of the possibilities in front of them.” Alongside fellow C&CR Coordinator Caleb Camp and Assistant Program Director William Hardrick, Ingram develops and implements programs that help students envision and plan their next steps after high school.
A cornerstone of the team’s work each year is the Little Bit What’s Next College and Career Exploration Fair—a two-day event hosted on the campuses of Harris-Stowe State University and St. Louis Community College–Florissant Valley. The fair introduces students to local industries and higher-education opportunities, and this year brought together more than 900 middle and high school students and over 50 vendors. Participants ranged from major employers such as Bayer and World Wide Technology to family-owned businesses like C. Bennett Building Supplies, along with several colleges and universities. (See recap video below.)
“It’s a way to show students that opportunities are not out of reach for them,” says Ingram. The C&CR team intentionally designs the event to help students make the most of their time, including hosting a pre-event panel discussion on effective networking. “My biggest advice is that you don’t need to have it all figured out,” she adds. “This is a time for exploring, asking questions, and finding the path that’s right for you. Even when something doesn’t work out, students are always ready to dream again.”
Ingram believes one of the program’s most impactful offerings is the Virtual Transferable Skills Seminar series. Hosted at a Little Bit partner school and streamed via YouTube and Zoom, the seminars reach students across the region. Topics such as emotional intelligence, building connections, and speaking up to be heard are presented by subject-matter experts and focus on skills students can apply well beyond the classroom.
“It’s all very practical advice,” Ingram says, noting that practicality is at the heart of the team’s work. “We’re helping students identify a goal or ambition and create a plan to achieve it. It’s about making sure they know what’s out there—and how attainable it really is with the right tools and information.”