Summer Career Camps: Putting the Pieces Together
Clients are contacting us asking how to best utilize the summer time for their young adults. As a parent of a high school student, I'm doing the same thing, so I thought sharing information would be helpful. There are many great ways for young adults to get hands-on experience for careers they are seriously considering. In addition, universities want students on campus as a recruiting tool. I even met a young girl once who said she wanted to attend a certain college because she went to camp there. When I asked her what her major was, she answered she had no idea, but she really liked the campus. That is what universities are banking on.
Tip: If you do attend a college summer camp program and are interested in attending that school, make time to take a campus tour and meet with the admission staff. You want them to know you were on campus because it shows demonstrated interest which is tracked.
Here are a few camps we've heard great things about, hyperlinked to their page. If you know of others, email them to us and we will continue to update this page as a resource.
Get an inside look at animal behavior and care, as well as an understanding of what it's like to work with animals! SeaWorld Resident Camp is an all-inclusive experience allowing students going into 5th grade through college exclusive insight to the amazing animals that call SeaWorld San Antonio home! Campers will have the opportunity to interact with animals, go behind the scenes of our immersive animal habitats, and have access to our world-class attractions.
This year, UTSA will offer science, engineering, architecture, sports, music, writing and language and culture camps for kids, teens, and adults. Some camps are day-long programs; others last a week or two. But each of their camps offers participants the chance to have fun, make friends and learn something new. There's truly something for everyone.
St. Mary’s offers a variety of summer day camps designed to inspire and inform. Camps vary in length and subject – some of the most popular offerings include the Robotics and Java Summer Camp. Many camps are designed for middle school or high school students in subjects such as computer science, environmental science, girls code, pre-medical, physics and pre-engineering robotics & java.
Texas A&M University Galveston Campus offers educational outreach programs to people of all ages. Sea Camp is a week-long residential adventure exploring the wonders of the marine and estuarine environments for campers ages 10-18. As a Sea Camper, you will have access to research vessels, oceanographic equipment, laboratory facilities, and a professional staff enabling you to learn about the ocean through hands-on experiences.
Talented & Gifted (TAG) Career-oriented Sea Camp programs for high ability students ages 14-18. Internships for Educators Texas A&M University Galveston Campus sponsors free summer internships for school teachers, counselors, administrators, and other individuals involved in education. Internships are operated in conjunction with Sea Camp and Talented & Gifted (TAG).
This is the eighth season hosting summer programs at Trinity University. Kids and teens discover coding, cybersecurity and encryption, AI and machine learning game development, robotics, and design in an inspiring, collegiate setting. With an average of just 8 students per instructor, their guaranteed small class sizes ensure you'll receive personalized instruction and excel at your own pace. Come explore for one week, or return for multiple sessions to build an impressive portfolio. The top universities on the planet—Stanford, MIT, Caltech—have trusted and hosted this program for over 19 years, inspiring students to dream BIG. Spaces are filling up with some weeks almost full.
UT Health San Antonio offers a variety of summer programs for undergraduate students seeking research experiences in the Biological Sciences. Several summer programs utilizes a single application which permits students to select up to three programs in which to apply. In addition, there are 4 programs for high school students and teachers.
The Summer Legal Institute or “SLI” is JTB’s cornerstone youth program. The SLI is a one-week legal immersion program for high school students in Baltimore (MD), Chicago (IL), Detroit (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Los Angeles (CA), Twin Cities (MN), New Orleans (LA), Springfield (MA) and Washington (D.C.)
The goal of the SLI is to enhance skill sets that are essential for students to progress successfully through high school, college and law school. Scholars experience interactive sessions that will develop skills such as reading, writing, critical thinking, professional etiquette, financial literacy and public speaking. Through a unique curriculum designed to enhance these skill sets, the SLI program inspires diverse students to pursue advanced degrees and careers in the legal profession.
The key to every Summer Legal Institute is the unique learning experience created by attorney volunteers from corporations and law firms that actively collaborate and work with the students. Through skills-based volunteerism, that allows attorneys to share their experiences and talents, students are given a unique view of the legal profession that is personal and insightful, while law firms and corporations are given a unique opportunity to come together and empower the next generation of promising scholars. Sponsorship funds are used to ensure that the JTB pipeline programs remain 100% free for young student scholars accepted into the program.
The University of Texas at Austin Computer Science Camp. Applications for free camps are open! Texas Computer Science Summer Camps offers five one-week residential summer camps for high school students designed to intrigue campers with the potential of computing and the excitement of problem solving. Camps offer a hands-on experience in learning computer science through team-building activities, educational sessions, and recreation. Registrations for fee-based camps will open soon!
The four distinct camps at the University of Texas at Austin Department of Computer Science department includes: First Bytes, Code Longhorn, Cybersecurity and Robotics for freshman through seniors, depending on the camp.
At The Perry Initiative, they are committed to inspiring young women to be leaders in the exciting fields of Orthopaedic Surgery and Engineering. They advance their mission principally by running hands-on outreach programs across the country for women students in high school, college, and medical school.
Duke Youth Programs is a part of Duke University Continuing Studies and has provided summer academic enrichment for academically motivated youth for over 35 years. Each summer approximately 650 youth from around the nation and world, representing some 22 states and 5 different countries, attend one of our summer programs. All programs seek to engage learners in innovative, interactive, transformative learning experiences. Co-curricular social and recreational activities are carefully planned and delivered to complement the instructional day. The camp “learning community” approaches learning as a shared responsibility among students, instructors, and counselors.
SAME is committed to motivating high school students to pursue engineering, construction or related fields as a profession and consider a career as a military officer. The San Antonio Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) will pay for the student’s registration fee, and airfare will be paid via reimbursements to the students resulting in zero cost for the student.
UTSA Criminal Justice Summer Camps The UTSA Criminal Justice Summer Camp offers rising high school juniors and seniors a week-long, hands-on learning experience to discover what it’s like to be a criminal justice professional.
Participants share about their experiences at camp:
“The camp taught us what it is really like to be a police officer. A lot of their work involves serving the community.”
“I’m really glad I did the camp. Even if I decided to focus on another subject, there are still ways for me to apply it to a criminal justice career.”
“We went into a gun vault at the FBI building and saw so many guns and ballistic vests. It was amazing!”
“The Criminal Justice Camp was definitely an unforgettable experience. My daughter thought each day was interesting and the camp provided real world experiences and not just lecture.”
Camp details and eligibility:
Eligible students: Rising high school juniors and seniors (entering a junior or senior status in the fall).
Participants must be 16 – 18 years of age at the time of the designated camp session.
Camp held during the summer for a week (Monday – Friday) from 9am-3pm each day.
This is a Sample Itinerary ONLY.
This is a day camp only. No overnight accommodations are available.
The camp fee for the week is $318.00. Fee includes lunch, snacks and a t-shirt
