May 4, 2009

College of Technology offering array of summer camps

Antonia Munguia, the College of Technology's director of diversity, said the goal of the camps is to help students, especially women and minorities, learn more about academic pathways in technical careers.

"These camps are a great opportunity for students without any background in technology to explore career paths they might never have considered before," Munguia said. "Most of our camps have been offered for just a few years, but already we are seeing students who are choosing Purdue and its technology programs because of them. We are glad to see we are making an impact."

The first camp, called TOTAL (Turned on to Technology and Leadership), is for seventh- and eighth-graders and will be June 14-18. It is targeted toward a multicultural audience but is open to any student in those grades. Additional information and registration forms can be found at https://www.tech.purdue.edu/camps/TOTAL/

 A second camp, TEAM (Technology Expanding All Minds), will be June 28-July 2. The target audience is females entering ninth and 10th grades. Activities will relate to technology in ways that will be of particular interest to teen girls. For registration forms and additional information, go to https://www.tech.purdue.edu/camps/TEAM/

Another option is a camp called TECh (Technology Experiences Cheerleading), which uses cheerleading and dance to teach middle and high school students about technology. The camp, formerly called Cheering in the Classroom, will be July 19-23. It is directed toward girls, but is open to any student who is an incoming seventh-grader to a high school senior. Participants need no background in technology, but should have an interest in learning more about the subject through hands-on activities. Registration forms and additional information can be found at https://www.tech.purdue.edu/camps/TECh/

The College of Technology also will co-sponsor with Girl Scouts another camp, TAGS (Technology Advances Girl Scouts), for students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades. The camp will be July 13-16. The TAGS camp is open only to Girl Scouts members. For registration and other information, go to https://www.tech.purdue.edu/camps/TAGS_I/

Those participating in the TOTAL, TEAM and TECh camps will have the additional opportunity to experience life on a Big Ten campus by staying in Purdue residence halls. Students in the TAGS camp will participate in activities on the Purdue campus during the day and stay at Camp Sycamore Valley near Lafayette at night.

At each of the camps, students will attend sessions that focus on hands-on activities led by Purdue faculty and graduate students from departments in the College of Technology. Each camp will feature a presentation by Purdue admissions officials.

For questions about any of the camps, contact Susan Martinez Manahan, 765-494-2331 or manahan@purdue.edu

The College of Technology offers several camps and workshops for students throughout the year. For additional information on these programs, visit https://www.tech.purdue.edu/camps/Available_Camps/

Writer: Kim Medaris, 765-494-6998, kmedaris@purdue.edu

Sources: Antonia Munguia, 765-494-7522, amunguia@purdue.edu

Susan Martinez Manahan, 765-494-2331, manahan@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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