What it Takes: Exploring Engineering Virtual Camp
Camp is FULL for Summer 2024.
Application is OPEN for Summer 2024. Register Now.
Application is CLOSED for Summer 2024.
This is an INVITE-ONLY camp.
Application is TBA for Summer 2024. Check back soon.
Cost
- Jul 2 - 26
What to expect
- Multi-week experience of exploring 10-12 engineering fields through presentations, speakers, demonstrations, and hands-on labs and projects.
- Virtual field trips to working research labs on campus and related industries.
- Unique breakout sessions around special interests such as women and minorities in engineering, college essay writing, and more.
- Hands-on labs and projects using materials from the Lab Kit that will be mailed to your home. Note that Lab Kits will only be shipped domestically and will not be shipped internationally. International campers wishing to enroll will need to purchase their own supplies. A list of supplies will be available a month prior to the start of camp. The registration fee will be reduced by $100.
- Meet new people and engage socially as well as academically during small group sessions via web conference, facilitated by a University of Illinois student who will be your guide for the camp.
- NEW! Register as an individual or register as a group. This experience can easily be integrated into a community organization’s summer program. Interested community organizations should contact us at wyse@illinois.edu for more information about this new opportunity.
Camp Structure
- Each week will focus on 4-5 different engineering fields (schedule coming soon)
- Friday-Monday of each week will focus on the independent projects from the lab kit. An online website provides videos and written instructions. There will also be optional “Office Hour” sessions for each of the 4-5 projects scheduled during this time so that the campers can log into a web conference to ask questions or just check in with faculty or college students staffing the session.
- Tuesday-Thursday of each week will have a scheduled 3-hour web conference to take a deeper dive into each of the 4-5 engineering fields of that week. These deeper dive sessions are led by faculty and college students in the highlighted field and will include a variety of activities such as student or alumni panels, Level 2 hands-on projects, and virtual field trips or demonstrations. Attend as many sessions as you can, but if your schedule doesn’t allow it, you can view the recordings at a time that’s more convenient for your schedule.
- Small group community-building activities and discussions with a camp counselor will be scheduled for the afternoons/evenings 3-days a week. We believe that any camp experience should include the opportunity to build new relationships with peers and mentors that will last beyond the camp experience.
Virtual camp activities will occur through these 3 processes:
- LIVE sessions using video conferencing or webinar tools (e.g. Zoom).
- Independent or “at your convenience” sessions will include videos, articles, and labs that will be accessed through a password-protected website.
- Community Chat (e.g. GroupMe, Discord, Slack) will be accessible for any-time communication between campers, counselors, and course instructors.