For Jessica Madrigal, director of summer and Intersession programs

1. What's at the top of your to-do list?

Image caption: Jessica Madrigal

Image credit: Marshall Clarke

Right now, my main priority is developing new short-term programs and offering summer courses at Johns Hopkins' Rockville and Washington, D.C., locations. I am also expanding Hopkins' existing partnerships with highly selective universities around the world to bring international students to Homewood for summer programs.

2. What keeps you up at night?

Excitement! Johns Hopkins is a place where you can make things happen, innovate, and simply bring ideas to life. It's difficult to rest when there's so much brewing, especially in terms of helping instructors expand their classrooms into the Baltimore community. We want our courses and programs to combine lectures with real-life experiences and hands-on learning. Our smaller class sizes during the summer allow for more student participation. Instructors are great partners. They are passionate about their fields and connect their students to practitioners who are just as passionate, and who love connecting to future professionals in their field.

3. What's in store 10 years from now?

Hopefully, vibrant summer programs throughout Maryland and more effective partnerships with local high schools. My goal is to transport Hopkins' undergraduate courses and programs beyond Baltimore and to make our programs more accessible for students in our extended area. On the international front, we will see a significant increase in the countries represented in our summer programs. There is great demand throughout the world for short-term summer programs. Last year's visiting students came from 27 countries.

4. Tell me something I don't know about Johns Hopkins.

Hopkins students engage in learning beyond fall/spring. Close to 40 percent of undergrads stay for Intersession, and about 30 percent continue their studies into the summer. At graduation, Hopkins students have earned an average of seven credits outside the traditional academic year.