High schoolers can get true college experience in Summer Academy

The Roanoke College Summer Academy provides a true college experience.  The program is designed for rising high school sophomores, upperclassmen and incoming college freshmen who are interested in having an immersive college experience, being academically challenged, and working towards a smooth transition into the academic and social life of college. Students will learn from Roanoke professors, take part in college prep workshops, and spend time with peer mentors.  Students will also enjoy a real taste of college life - dining, social events, and athletics.  This gives students a strong foundation to explore and to prepare for college.

Programs available range from week-long programs in a topic students are passionate about to month-long research and immersion programs which offer college credit.

Topics for the week-long programs include:

Outdoor Adventure - July 8-12: explore the area’s bounty of outdoor recreation opportunities, learn about the health and human performance aspects of outdoor adventures, and gain leadership training and experience.

Video Game Development - July 8-12: learning to program video games gives students practice analyzing complex problems and creating innovative solutions.

Sports Math - July 8-12: this course teaches students the basics of sports analytics, like the book and movie Moneyball.

Storytelling - July 8-12: students will learn how to tell stories that captivate an audience. The course will cover the key elements of effective storytelling: characters, world-building, and narrative voice.

Theology for Teens - July 28-August 3: Come and discover a sense of mission and become equipped with theological tools to help you to meet the challenges facing the church today.

Interested in diving in even further?

Get a feel for what it's like to work on real research with a college professor, earn college credit and build important research skills that will put you ahead of your peers. You'll spend a month on campus, living in residence halls where you'll get a taste of college life.

Under the direct supervision of a faculty mentor, Dr. Chris Lassiter, students will have the opportunity to be part of a small research group working on developmental biology. This course will introduce students to the scientific literature and encourage them to think scientifically.

Month-Long Summer Immersion courses place students in real college courses where they can earn college credit. Spend a month in class, living in the residence halls and test driving your college life.

Summer Academy Course options include:

Statistics and Food – Are you interested in issues concerning topics such as food industry, personal dietary choices, food marketing, and food shortages? In this course, you will learn how statistical methods are used to provide arguments for such issues and explanations for patterns that arise in the US today. And of course, food will be involved. You will read and reflect on articles involving food, use and create data sets concerning food, and even do a little bit of cooking!

An Edge to Science – In this age of hyper-information, how do we determine what is scientific truth and what is falsehood? Does science have an edge, and is an edge easily defined? What is meant by the concepts of evidence, law, and proof within the realm of science? At what point does science become pseudoscience, or even science fiction? We will examine a few concepts in astronomy (exoplanets, cosmology, and black holes), first introducing the established observations and science, while also inquiring about an edge to our current understanding.

Chaos & Kingship – This course examines how the Capetian kings (c. 987—the end of the Hundred-Years War) developed authority and confidence in a time of chaos. We will use lectures, readings, scriptorium experiences, a field trip and simulation games as ways of visualizing many of these strategies.

Nonviolence & Social Justice – This course asks the question “How can nonviolence promote social justice?” We will study important people in the history of nonviolent social activism, from the 19th century to the present, to see how they addressed injustice, how their ideas about nonviolence evolved, and how different cultural contexts have influenced nonviolent activism.

American Horror Films – Why is horror such a durable genre at the box office? What is it that makes it so appealing? Critics have long recognized that there is a great deal hiding beneath the surface in horror, as it speaks to our anxieties, societal conventions, and much more. Students will be introduced to the major films that have shaped the history of American horror cinema—from the silent era to today—and see how the genre has evolved and now consists of numerous subgenres.

Modern Russia – Nearly every day, stories about Russia appear on newsfeeds throughout the U.S.  Since it is such an important topic, how would you like to learn more about that nation and its history? This course is a survey of the cultural, social, political, and economic influences that have shaped modern Russia. Emphasis on the 19th and 20th centuries, the Soviet period, and post-Soviet developments.

Elementary Spanish II – Want to strengthen your conversational Spanish skills?  Interested in learning more about how to write effectively in Spanish?  Want to build a greater cultural awareness so that you can discuss and understand everyday life in Spanish? This course is a study of the essentials of Spanish grammar and basic vocabulary to promote speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. Enrollment requires passing an introductory Spanish placement test.