Pioneer Research Institute: Admission is selective. Get priority consideration when you attend an information session.
Currently there is no single forum for educators, parents, and students to engage with distinguished academic programs and colleges. Recognizing this lack of connection, Pioneer leverages our reputation and invites the most rigorous, values-based programs and colleges together for the Annual Pioneer Academics Co-Curricular Summit, allowing you and your students to engage directly with these organizations
Countries
Speakers
Famous Programs
University/College Admissions
Seminars
Contributing Opinion Writer for the New York Times. Bestselling Author, of The Beauty of Dusk and a Professor of Journalism and Public Policy, at Duke University
Frank Bruni is a renowned journalist, author, and professor who has worked for The New York Times for 25 years. In June 2021, he joined the faculty of Duke University, where he teaches journalism and public policy. He is also the author of several other books, including Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be, about the college admissions frenzy.
Dr. Goluboff’s work focuses on emotion in a variety of geographical and historical contexts. Mourning and grief in Azerbaijan, hooking up on college campuses, and attachment to home place in Antebellum Virginia — She views emotion as stories — narratives told about self and society, as well as a discourse about interpersonal connections.
Bruce G. Hammond, Vice Principal, came to China in 2008 and was among the first Americans to work as a college counselors in a Chinese public school. He served as Foreign Vice Principal and Director of College Counseling at Tsinghua University High School in Beijing, where he helped to found Tsinghua International School. Prior to coming to China, Bruce was a teacher and administrator in U.S. independent private schools. He was Managing Editor of the Fiske Guide to Colleges and is co-author of four books in the Fiske series.
Assistant Vice President, Director of Admissions Significant experience in undergraduate recruitment, program management and higher education administration. Additional experience with international admissions, budget oversight, hiring, human resources, financial aid policy, strategic planning and change management.
Chris began his current role as the Director of College Counseling at Moorestown Friends School this past summer after 8 years as the Associate Director of College Counseling at Malvern Preparatory School. Prior to Malvern, he served as a college counselor at Salesianum School in Wilmington, DE and as a Senior Assistant Director of Admission at Lafayette College. In addition to his counseling roles, Chris has taught courses on public speaking and social entrepreneurship and coached freshman baseball as well as Lafayette’s NCAA softball team. He is also an adjunct faculty member of Villanova University’s College Counseling Certificate Program.
Greg Manne, Senior Manager of Selection and Global Outreach for Rise, oversees the design and execution of the recruitment process for Global Winners and engages with global partners to uphold selection standards. With a background in admissions at Dartmouth and Tufts, he has deep expertise in international admissions and outreach, having also served on related committees and worked as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Spain. Greg is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.
Melissa is an Undergraduate Admissions Counselor at Caltech. As a first-generation graduate, she is passionate about mentorship in higher education. In her current role, Melissa primarily oversees access recruitment for Caltech’s office, namely in rural recruitment. She is happy to be here today to talk about the ever-changing college application process.
Access original recordings of each seminar of the Summit below. Each session is 30 minutes long. There are highlight summaries for you to capture the essential takeaway in 5 minutes of reading.
(Please note that the seminars and Q&As at Program Fair and College Fair are not recorded.)
Please complete the below form with any questions or concerns you may have.
Thank you for your interest in Pioneer’s Global Problem-Solving Institute (GPSI). The application for the Fall 2025 terms is now available. Please select your country/region below:
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Got it”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
