What is Day Off Campus?

Day Off Campus is a day eighth graders spend shadowing someone who works in an industry or profession he/she is interested in learning more about. The goal is for students to experience a day in the life working in a field of their interest in order to better inform their future educational or professional aspirations.

Day off Campus Spotlight:

Using Germantown Academy's networking platform, Patriot Connect, eighth grader AJ D. '24 connected with Daniel Lipschutz, class of 2003, to spend a day in the life of a freelance illustrator. Daniel has worked as a freelance illustrator for the past five years and his coloring book, WonderPHL World - A Philadelphia Coloring Adventure was published in 2016.

AJ met Daniel at the Mural Arts’ Asian Arts Initiative Studio in Philadelphia where Daniel is currently working on a project for the Mural Arts Philadelphia. Daniel and AJ continued work on a community mural, followed by a tour through the city to view other completed murals, including a mural next to the Reading Terminal Market. The day culminated in a joint sketching session at a local café where AJ asked for insight on how to seek out work as a freelance illustrator and how to embark on a career as an illustrator.

“Daniel gave me advice on how to find work and how to use past experiences to help find new projects,” AJ said.

AJ said he is still interested in potentially pursuing a career in illustration after his Day Off Campus experience, but is also considering other pursuits as well.

If you are interested in hosting a student for a day, or to learn more about other opportunities to help fellow GA community members in their professional pursuits, please email Sabrina.pfeiffer@germantownacademy.org.