Find your Spark with LSE Summer School

Do you know that alongside regular classes, LSE Summer School hosts a variety of extracurricular events during each session? My favourite was their Spark programme, which focuses on events to help you hone your professional skills and career goals.

Prior to my arrival at LSE, I had done some research online into what kind of activities LSE Summer School would provide for us. In my exploration, I read about the Spark events, and was excited to see what they were like in person.

Spark events aim to improve students’ professional skills. Whether it’s about honing your CV, working on your leadership skills, or learning how to network, there is something for you. The events generally were about an hour long, with a few exceptions, either running over lunchtime or in the evening so you don’t need to miss out on your classes to attend.

One of my favourite Spark events was the ‘Developing Your Entrepreneurial Skills’ session. Our facilitator was a seasoned entrepreneur, and it was insightful to hear from someone with so much experience. Towards the end, we were divided into groups, and we were given 10 minutes to make a 90 second pitch for a new app with other attendees we had just met. I have to admit (as a socially anxious individual), I was a bit taken aback at first, but it went really well and was a great way to get to know new people!

Another event that stood out to me was the ‘Language for Negotiation’ session. It was incredibly interactive! Our facilitator gave us tips on how to negotiate our salary in a job setting. We were then divided into pairs and assigned the roles of employers and employees to practice the skills we had learned. I was given the role of employer and had to negotiate a salary with my partner who was an employee. We spoke about it for so long that everyone had already left the room when we finished! It was great to use what we had learned in a practical setting, and get so immersed in the scenario.

Fun fact! If you attend a certain number of Spark events, you can qualify for a badge (and display it on LinkedIn for the world to see!). When I was at Summer School, you needed two events for a bronze badge, four for a silver and six for a gold – naturally I attended six!

Truthfully, I am yet to use what I learned in a professional setting, as I am still a student, but I have used some of the tips in my daily life - which have given me good results overall. Over the 6 weeks I was in London, I had a blast participating in Spark events. Not only did I have fun, but I also learned genuinely useful skills. If you’re going to LSE next summer, then I recommend you make the most of the Spark programme!

This blog was written by one of our 2024 Student Ambassadors, who are here to share their stories and help you understand the summer school experience at LSE.