Mount Vernon Nazarene University will launch its first-ever Academic Summer Camps in July for high school freshmen, sophomores and juniors to test drive a major or career while they are still deciding what – and who – they would like to be.
LeeAnn Couts, a psychology professor and dean of the School of Natural and Social Sciences, is a co-director of the Academic Summer Camps. She said the camps have several goals, with the first to encourage students to attend college to let them know it's feasible.
“The second for all of the students is really to allow them to try on a particular major, if they’re thinking about contemplating a particular major, to let them dig in a little bit, to see, ‘Oh, I love it,' or now, ‘Maybe that's not for me,'” Couts said.
They can make some decisions before they set foot on campus as a college student by exploring different areas, she said.
The overnight Academic Summer Camps will be held in two sessions, July 10-14 and July 17-21. Students will arrive on Monday afternoon and stay on campus until Friday afternoon.
“We will do academic sessions during the day and then we’ll do some fun activities in the evening,” Couts said.
Five camps will be held each week, showcasing 10 different programs. Those camps will include criminal investigation, education, environmental science, film production camp and pre-law the first week. Art and design, emergency preparedness, engineering camp, exercise science and nursing camps will be featured in the second week.
“In general, we’re going to make the camps as hands-on as we possibly can. So there’s going to be a ton of interaction with the faculty leaders, but they’re going to just try to submerge the students in the area,” Couts said.
For example, students attending the criminal investigations camp will learn about investigative techniques and will talk to people working in the field. But they also will investigate a mock crime scene over the week. For the pre-law camp again, students will learn aspects of law and then participate in a mock trial at the end of the week. Film production campers will end the week with the production of their own film. The exercise science and nursing/emergency preparedness students will get certified in CPR and First Aid, she said.
To enroll in the camps, visit www.mvnu.edu/undergraduate/summer-camp-2023. For questions, email mvnu.summercamps@mvnu.edu.
Couts said the camps are running at cost and are offered as a service to the university and the community, not to make a profit. The cost of the camp is $485 for one week or $920 for two weeks.
Funding from the Knox Community Foundation, the Richland Community Foundation and the Marion County Foundation will provide scholarships for students who have financial need. They should apply for a scholarship to get this support.
