GREENEVILLE – High school students from multiple communities in East Tennessee will enjoy the collegiate experience and engage in hands-on learning during the Summer Academy at Tusculum University.
Students look through microscopes during the 2025 Summer Academy.
A forensic class was one of the offerings at the 2025 Summer Academy. It will return this year.
The Summer Academy, which starts Tuesday, May 26, is a six-week program conducted by Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science at the university. Participants attend classes in the morning, work on specialized projects in the afternoon and engage in activities in the evening during the first five weeks. They will conclude the academy with an educational trip to Washington.
“This academy is an outstanding way to prepare high school students for college and expand their knowledge in multiple ways,” said Dr. David Smith, executive director of TRIO programs at Tusculum. “Students emerge from this experience with a much better understanding of the expectations and atmosphere of college. We particularly welcome the opportunity to take our students to the nation’s capital so they have a greater grasp of the workings of our government and the country’s history.”
Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science are federal TRIO programs that serve students whose parents or guardians do not have a bachelor’s degree and who meet income-eligibility requirements. The two programs provide a variety of programs throughout the year, and the Summer Academy is the largest. The overarching goal is to help students recognize the value of enrolling at a college or university.
During the academy, the high school students not only attend classes and activities but also live in the university’s residence halls and eat in Tusculum’s cafeteria.
One of the ways the high school students benefit from the Summer Academy is their ability to interact with college students, who serve as resident assistants in the residence halls and teachers’ aides in the classroom. That enables the high school students to see how the college students carry themselves on campus and to ask questions about studying at a higher education institution.
Students have a fun moment in a class during the 2025 Summer Academy.
A student discusses a poster during the 2025 Summer Academy.
Students attend two classes each morning. Tusculum faculty and staff members as well as individuals from the community will teach the classes. Other teachers work in local K-12 school systems and community colleges.
Among the classes students will take are “Anatomy with Gross Dissection: Exploring Structure and Function,” “Computer Science Foundations,” “Finding Your Voice: Writing with Purpose and Power,” “Forensics,” “Introduction to Business,” “Introduction to Sign Language” and “Pop Culture as History.”
In the afternoon, most students will focus on conducting research projects and participating in theater classes. Some will serve in work-study positions on and off campus. Those who participate in research will present posters and the ones in theater will hold a performance at the end of the five weeks on campus.
While they are in Washington, students will participate in a number of activities, including visits to the Capitol, the Smithsonian, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall. The students will have an opportunity to speak with Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger, who represents Tusculum and a large area of East Tennessee, and have their photo taken with her.
“Tusculum is proud to hold the Summer Academy on campus and help the students learn more about the environment in the classroom and the residential side of college,” said Dr. Scott Hummel, the university’s president. “Having taught at the academy before, I have seen firsthand how the classes the students take enrich their lives and further their knowledge through active and experiential learning. The Summer Academy is an outstanding comprehensive program led by TRIO professionals on our staff who are committed to putting their students on the path to lifelong success.”
Additional information about Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science are available at https://site.tusculum.edu/student-success/academic-affairs/first-gen/. To learn more about the university, please visit www.tusculum.edu.