Future Coogs Get a Glimpse of College Life During Cougar Junior Scholars Camp
Summer is typically a time for middle school students to take some time away from the classroom. Each summer, however, the Honors College at the University of Houston opens its doors to local middle schoolers and shows them what life on a college campus is really like.
The annual Cougar Junior Scholars Camp delivers pre-college experiences to area students including coursework and campus tours. This year’s event runs July 11 – 15 offering students insights on literature, creative writing, engineering and chemistry. Camp faculty include Stuart Long, associate dean of undergraduate research at the Honors College; Simon Bott, director of the Honors Program in Health Professions, and others to be announced.
“This camp shows students that learning is fun,” Bott said. “It presents topics in a creative way, much like they’re presented in a college atmosphere. Chemistry, for example, is about strange and wonderful things happening to matter. We can demonstrate this to students and foster an enthusiasm they may not have had previously.”
In addition to learning from award-winning faculty in UH classrooms, students have an opportunity to explore campus and experience a Tier One university environment. They also will test their wits in a quiz bowl competition.
“This camp has no constraints whatsoever,” Bott said. “There are no tests. Students can learn at their own pace and discover new subjects that may inspire future academic interests.”
Cougar Junior Scholars complements other Honors College initiatives designed to bridge UH and the community. Earlier this summer, the college delivered literary seminars to high school teachers during its Common Ground Institute. Other programs include Scholars in the Schools offering interactions between high school students and Honors faculty.
To learn more about Cougar Junior Scholars, visit the program’s website.
The Honors College at UH is a hub of excellence that serves the needs of gifted undergraduates in more than 100 fields of study and reflects the rich diversity of the University of Houston in its courses, faculty and students. For more than 50 years, the Honors College has offered students the best of both worlds: the advantages of a small college together with the comprehensive resources and rich diversity of a large university. For more information about the Honors College, visit http://TheHonorsCollege.com.
