News
Roberts Wesleyan University Receives John F. Wegman Fund Grant to Support Academic Summer Camp Scholarships
Grant will fund nine scholarships for high school students with financial need
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Academic Summer Camp program at Roberts Wesleyan University was recently awarded a $9,900 grant from the John F. Wegman Fund, which provides grants to community-based programs that address concerns of the aging population, character-building opportunities for youth, and improved labor/management relations through education or other means. The funds will enable the university to provide nine scholarships for Greater Rochester high school students with financial need to attend the hands-on two-week summer program and explore a variety of careers.
“We’re grateful to the John F. Wegman Fund for this generous gift, which will make this unique educational opportunity more accessible to all students,” said Richard Hagen, director of summer academics and assistant professor of chemistry at Roberts Wesleyan University. “We’re excited for students to explore a variety of careers through this program to not only get a sense of what future career they may be interested in, but to also experience what it is like to attend a university.”
This year’s program, which is open to high school students entering their sophomore, junior or senior year in fall 2023, will be offered July 16-28. Academic camps taught by Roberts faculty will be offered on a variety of topics, including forensic science, nursing, teacher education and more. Through the camps, students will explore a variety of careers, participate in academic and hands-on learning, explore the local community on relevant field trips, meet and listen to guest speakers, and use the campus, all while learning to live and learn in community with one another.
The scholarships will cover the cost of meals, overnight lodging, camp experiences, labs, field trips and more over the course of the two-week program. Prospective candidates can access the scholarship application on the Roberts Academic Summer Camp website starting March 3, with applications closing May 5. Throughout the week of Feb. 27, representatives from the Roberts Academic Summer Camp program will initiate outreach to local school districts in Monroe County to share scholarship criteria and application information with school officials and guidance counselors.
Since the Academic Summer Camp program was first offered in 2017, a total of 322 students, including 40% of participants identifying as students of color, have attended either a one- or-two-week camp and 86 scholarships have been awarded through the generous contributions of donors like the John F. Wegman Fund, the Roberts board of trustees and other community partners. After participating in the program, a vast majority of students from across New York state go on to pursue higher education opportunities. Currently, 24 students enrolled at Roberts Wesleyan University previously participated in an Academic Summer Camp and five of those students attended the camps on a scholarship.
To learn more about the Academic Summer Camp program, click here. For more information about Roberts Wesleyan University, visit roberts.edu.
Download the Summer Camp Flyer here.
