Camp College is turning 10!
Joel Johnson, University of Oregon
With the help of NACAC’s Imagine Grant and a dedicated group of volunteers, IACAC’s Camp College was brought to life ten years ago. A proud staple among IACAC’s annual programs and events, Camp College provides rising seniors the unique opportunity to learn about the college search and application process from college admission professionals and high school counselors in an immersive college experience.
The first Camp College opened back on July 12, 2010 at Bradley University with 33 students. Sharon Williams (formerly of Elgin Academy) was the original chairperson. She led a group of 17 volunteers from both the college admission and high school counseling profession that invested in the success of the program. The following year, Roberto Suarez (current IACAC Past President) and Ziggy Blackwell (current NACAC Delegate Director – Postsecondary) took over leadership of Camp College and requested it become a budgeted program through IACAC. Thereafter, Camp College (and its sister program, Motivate Me) have been governed by the IACAC College Awareness and Preparation (CAP) Committee.
Since its inception, Camp College has served approximately 300 students from across the state of Illinois. It has been hosted on several campuses across the state and even conducted college tours at neighboring institutions just across the border. The longevity of the program and its ongoing success is attributed to the support of IACAC and the dedicated professionals that volunteer their time to develop, plan, and serve at Camp College each year.
We, the CAP Committee, would like to thank the IACAC leadership and members for all the years of support. We also want to express our appreciation not just for our volunteers but also for the institutions that have allowed them to serve each year. Finally, we want to thank everyone that has contributed in any way to the success of Camp College over the last 10 years.
This year, Camp College unveils a new logo and remains dedicated to providing the same quality of training, college exploration, and overall fun that students have experienced since its inception.
The application for Camp College 2019 will open in February. We are excited to host the 2019 class!
