Summer Camps & Programs

Program Description

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Summer@Rensselaer
Troy, New York

		Program Description Program Overview See Photos

For More Information, Contact
Mike Gunther, Program Manager for Recruitment
Outreach Programs
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
110 8th Street, CII Suite 4011
Troy, New York 12180-3590
518-276-8351
http://summer.rpi.edu

Type of Program: Academic enrichment programs and sport camps
Participants: Post-K–12
Enrollment: Varies by program
Program Dates: Various sessions in May, June, July, and August
Head of Program: Mike Gunther, Program Manager for Recruitment

Location

Rensselaer is located in the northeastern United States, in the heart of New York’s Capital Region. The region, which includes the cities and suburbs of Albany, Schenectady, and Troy, has a combined population of approximately 870,000 and is an important business, governmental, industrial, and academic hub.
    Overlooking the city of Troy and the historic Hudson River, Rensselaer’s 275-acre campus blends recently constructed facilities with a cluster of classical-style, ivy-covered brick buildings dating from the turn of the century. A program of extensive renovation has equipped the campus with ultramodern teaching facilities while preserving the traditional elegance of its historic buildings.
    Rensselaer retains the quiet and natural beauty of a parklike setting while offering many conveniences of an urban campus. Students enjoy easy access to Boston (3 hours), New York City (2½ hours), and Montreal (4 hours). The Adirondacks, the Berkshires, and the Catskills, all within an hour of Troy, offer hundreds of areas for camping, hiking, and skiing.

Background and Philosophy

The oldest degree-granting technological university in North America, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) was founded in 1824 “for the purpose of instructing persons in the application of science to the common purposes of life.” Rensselaer has become one of the world’s premier technological research universities, offering more than 100 programs and 1,000 courses that lead to bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees.
    Summer is an exciting time to be at Rensselaer, a place where enthusiasm and innovation are the very hallmarks of its programs and classes. Rensselaer invites elementary, middle, and high school students to enroll in summer enrichment programs and sports camps. In addition, summer credit courses are available to academically talented and qualified high school students.

Program Offerings

Summer@Rensselaer offers many programs. For more information about all opportunities that are offered, including specific dates and costs, students are encouraged to visit the Web site (http://summer.rpi.edu). Any program applications or registrations that are needed can also be downloaded at the Web site. Questions about application and registration for summer enrichment programs may be directed to Mike Gunter at 518-276-8351.

Summer Enrichment Day Programs
    Summer enrichment day programs allow elementary, middle, and high school students the chance to participate in noncredit programs that stimulate their minds and exercise their bodies. Day programs available in summer 2008 include the ASM Materials Camp (rising juniors and seniors), Build Your Drawing Portfolio (high school students), Creative Writing (ages 8–17), the LEGO® Robotics Engineering Academy (ages 11–14), The Magical World of Flight (middle and high school students), Nature’s Treasure Hunt (elementary school students), the Samaritan-Rensselaer Children’s Center RPI Summer Day Camp (kindergarten graduates through age 12), the VEX Robotics Engineering Academy (ages 13–16), Video Production: Through the Eyes of the Lens (high school students), Whodunit? The Science of Crime Scenes (middle school students), Young Actors Guild (ages 8–18), and Rensselaer Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) (middle and high school students in five area schools).

Summer Enrichment Residential Programs
    Residential programs available in summer 2008 include the Architecture Career Discovery Program (high school students) and the Computer Game Development Academy (rising and graduating high school seniors). Rensselaer hosts the PREFACE program each summer for students from around the country who are underrepresented in the various fields of engineering and are selected through a formal application process to participate based on their potential and their interest in pursuing a career in engineering.
    Students are encouraged to visit the summer Web site (http://summer.rpi.edu/update.do?catcenterkey=4) for program listings, as additional residential programs continue to be added.

Credit Courses
    Summer courses for college credit provide students with an opportunity to pursue more rigorous course work than may be available in high school. For example, the School of Engineering offers ENGR-1100 Introduction to Engineering Analysis. The School of Science offers MATH-1010 Calculus I and CSCI-1100 Computer Science I. Students can find more information on the Web (http://summer.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=28), and the Admissions Office (518-276-6216, admissions@rpi.edu) will answer any questions about applying for the courses.

Sports Camps
    With Rensselaer fielding twenty-three varsity teams, Summer@Rensselaer offers numerous sports camps each summer. Interested students can find sport camp information on the Web (http://summer.rpi.edu/update.do?catcenterkey=5). Sports camps offered in 2008 include the Rensselaer football camp as well as ice hockey camps for boys and girls. Students with questions about sports camps are encouraged to call Mike Gunter (518-276-8351).

Enrollment

Summer@Rensselaer programs serve a variety of students in kindergarten through high school.

Daily Schedule

	The schedules vary by program. Students should check online for specifics.
	Sample Day Schedule for the Computer Game Development Academy
	9:00–12:00 12:00–1:00 1:00–3:00 2:00–3:30 3:30–6:00 Game Development Studio Lunch Programmer/Arts Studio Break Programmer/Arts Studio
	Sample Evening Schedule for the Football Camp
	6:00–6:15 6:30–6:45 6:45–7:45 7:45–7:50 7:50–8:50 8:50–9:00 9:00 Arrive/Register/Dress Stretch Offense Practice Break Defense Practice “Football Talk” Depart

Facilities

Studio classrooms and laboratories around the campus use the latest educational technologies and encourage collaboration and team learning among students.

Staff

Approximately 400 tenured and tenure-track faculty members call Rensselaer home; 96 percent of the faculty members have earned a Ph.D., first professional, or other terminal degree in their fields. Some enrichment programs employ Rensselaer students, who are organized, personable, detail oriented, good team members, and effective problem solvers.

Medical Care

The Student Health Center is a comprehensive, nationally accredited, physician-directed center providing outpatient ambulatory health care. The center is open during the summer. Staff members include a full-time physician, 2 part-time physicians, 4 licensed Ph.D. psychologists, 2 full-time physician assistants, a health educator, registered nurses, and a part-time nurse practitioner.

Costs

Credit courses in 2008 for undergraduate students are $1090 per credit hour. Each summer enrichment program and sports camp is individually priced. The program listing on the Summer@Rensselaer Web site has additional information.

Transportation

All students must furnish their own transportation to and from campus.

Application Timetable

Applicants for credit courses are required to submit a current high school transcript, inclusive of all current-year marking periods. Any available SAT or ACT scores, a high school profile, and college counselor contact information should be submitted as well.
    For other programs, students must fill out a registration form that is available online. Students should apply early as space is limited in many enrichment programs and sports camps.