The Mattahunt Wheelock Community Center will join forces with the BCYF Mildred Ave. Community Center to offer high school juniors and seniors a College & Career Engagement event on Thurs., April 18.

The “E.M.E.R.G.E College and Career Day” seminar will be held at the BCYF Mildred Ave. Community Center from 10 am to 7pm. The event will feature three workshops— “Making The Transition to College,” “What I Wish I Knew,” and “Affording College” — as well as three panels dedicated to trades/vocations, public safety/healthcare/educators, and entrepreneurship/arts. There will also be live entertainment and career and college fairs.

“One of our goals is to promote college readiness and career planning for people living in the Mattapan area. We’re looking to do that primarily because there isn’t that much support or programming in that area,” said Rashad Cope, director of the Mattahunt center. “Because Wheelock has experience with college readiness, we feel it’s a direction that would be vital to the families of this particular community.”

Cope added, “This community engagement event will be a kick-off to our college and career agenda that we are trying to push forward. This will be a series of SAT prep programs, financial aid workshops and seminars, and college readiness seminars, not just for high school students, but middle school students as young as sixth grade.”

The college and career readiness program, called the “Center for Readiness,” was made possible partly by a $15,000 grant from the Hamilton Company Charitable Foundation, which was formed in 2011 and provides support to deserving 501c3 organizations.

To participate in the career fair or as a professional panelist, contact Akilah Alleyne at akilah.alleyne@my.wheelock.edu. To volunteer as a college resource or college fair representative, contact Shellice Baker at sbaker@wheelock.edu.

For more information about the College & Career Engagement Event, call Rashad Cope at 617-635-5159.