For Joseph A. Reed, Summer Search was about finding clarity: stepping beyond the limits of what he knew, and discovering what genuinely excited him, motivated him, and felt meaningful. Check out Joseph’s interview from the 2025 Alumni Summit below. 

 

 

A 2007 graduate from the Bronx, Joseph’s experience was shaped by the mentorship relationships he formed, the opportunity for global exploration, and a community that pushed him to ask big questions about who he was and who he wanted to become. 

 

Joseph credits much of his growth to the mentors who guided him along the way, naming Janice Yang, Eden Werring, and Karina Saltman. Summer Search’s depth mentoring model means that students receive consistent encouragement and accountability and are asked to reflect on their strengths, challenge their assumptions, and think seriously about their futures. Over the course of their high school and post-secondary experiences with Summer Search, most students will have at least two mentors. We recognize that Summer Searchers need different things from their mentors and peer mentorship groups at different times in their teen and young adult years, and that it is important to match them with the expertise that best fits the moment they are in.  

 

“My experience was a little intense because they all expected a lot from me… I got to use everything that they gave me to carry forward in life to become a great leader.” 

  

Summer Search opened doors Joseph had never imagined walking through. His first Summer Search experience with Longacre Expeditions took him on a weeks-long adventure of cycling, camping, sea kayaking, whitewater rafting, and rock climbing across Maine and Nova Scotia. The following summer took him even farther—from New York to Japan—where he spent the season studying language and immersing himself in Japanese culture. 

 

“The most surprising thing I got from both of those trips was kind of figuring out exactly what I liked and what I wanted out of life.” 

 

Traveling beyond his “little bubble of New York” changed how he saw the world – and himself.  

 

“The thrill, the achievement that I gained from traveling abroad and traveling to different places… really expanded my knowledge and also my drive to go to different places and just experience new cultures everywhere.” 

 

Those experiences were formative. They helped Joseph begin to shape a vision for the kind of life he wanted to lead. Long after his trips ended, one aspect of Summer Search continues to shape Joseph’s life: community. 

 

“Being able to be part of a larger community that I can always lean on when I need something, or even when I just wanna talk to somebody, has been an incredible experience.” 

 

That support didn’t just provide reassurance. It provided direction. Today, Joseph is a marketing manager for a construction company, where his work spans strategy, photography, videography, and storytelling. He also serves on the Summer Search Alumni Board. For Joseph, success isn’t just about a job title: it’s about enjoying what you do and loving the process. But his hopes for the future continue to evolve. 

 

“I want to continue following my drive for photography and bringing art out in a different way, for not only myself, but for the community. I really want to take that ability that I have to communicate with others that I’ve learned here in Summer Search to bring it out to everyone else that is in need of some type of inspiration. I want to take everything that I’ve learned here and just keep spreading it out through my community.” 

 

His advice to future Summer Searchers is simple: “Be ready to open up. Be ready to share yourself with the world.” 

 

Summer Search’s mission is to help young people discover lives of purpose, economic stability, and joy. By giving young people the tools, support, and confidence to figure out what their personal passions are, we set them up for long-term success and fulfillment.  

 

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The Summer Search journey doesn’t end with a milestone—it continues to evolve through the lives and leadership of our Alumni. We’re excited to continue our Alumni Spotlight Series to answer the question, “Who are Summer Search Alumni?”. This series will feature conversations with Alumni across our community who share their experiences with Summer Search, how they are building careers, strengthening their communities, and navigating what’s next.