High school students can take classes from Butler faculty and explore majors in new summer tracks. Photo courtesy of Butler University. 

LAUREN FISCHER | STAFF REPORTER | lrfischer@butler.edu

New week-long summer programs allow high school students to get a glimpse of college life, with three offered tracks: business, healthcare and exploratory. These programs are open to rising sophomores, juniors and seniors in high school who are interested in gaining enriching real-world experience before college.

In 2022, Butler received a $900,000 grant from the Lilly Endowment, dedicated to enhancing youth programming as a result of Indiana’s low college matriculation rate among high schoolers. With that grant, BU: BeReal was created as a week-long program that exposed students to Butler’s many majors and taught leadership skills.

This new program is a transformation of BU: BeReal and still offers an exploratory track for students unsure of what field of study they are interested in. It adds business and healthcare tracks to highlight two strong programs aligned with the current market.

Jessica Stoltzfus, the director of camps and community programs, discussed the goals of the summer experiences.

“[They are] designed for college immersion, [and] giving [students] an idea of what college life might look like while still in high school,” Stoltzfus said. [It gives students] the opportunity to explore different majors and careers possible for [them], and get personal leadership training … throughout the process.”

The exploratory program includes activities with each college, helping students narrow their interests. In the business track, students will learn about marketing, finance, sales and risk management, before applying those learnings to create and deliver a business pitch. The final week explores a wide range of healthcare fields, allowing students to experience Butler laboratories.

Each track is led by faculty members who have designed a curriculum specific to the academic area. 

Nii Abrahams, the senior director of student experience and engagement, serves as a leadership coach for the programs, guiding students in daily sessions.

“My hope is that even if [the students] don’t come to Butler, when they get to college, they’re ready to hit the ground running, secure themselves [and feel] confident in what they bring to the table in terms of their leadership and their personality,” Abrahams said.

Lessons are given the first three days of each program, and on Thursdays, students go on a related outing to apply all that they learned. 

Zaiah Crites, a first-year psychology and Spanish double major, found the leadership sessions impactful in shaping her college experience.

“I feel like I can step out of my comfort zone and be a leader in situations that I never [considered] before the camp,” Crites said. “It made me want to be more involved on campus.”

Crites has taken Abraham’s lessons with her to college and hopes to spend more time applying her leadership skills. One way she hopes to do so is by returning as a counselor next summer.

Butler students can serve as counselors for these programs, providing mentorship during the day and acting as their residential assistants in the evenings.

The experience aims to be immersive for both residential and commuter students. Students will be able to eat in the dining halls, work out in the Health and Recreation Complex and sleep in the dorms, providing a chance to experience college life. Counselors will also lead evening activities that allow students to unwind and get to know one another.

Emerson Baran, a sophomore psychology and sociology combined major, attended BU: BeReal in high school, served as a counselor last summer and plans to return this upcoming summer. She credits both the academic and recreational sides of the experience for all that she has achieved at Butler.

“I’ve been given the chance to have so many different opportunities that I don’t think I would have gotten if I [did not go] through BU: BeReal,” Baran said. “I feel like it’s opened the doors to a lot of new things.”

Baran said the exploratory activities helped her narrow her options as she entered college.

“The [program] exposes you to a bunch of different [majors] and activities,” Baran said. “It gives you direction.”

Baran also expressed excitement about the new tracks for students with clearer ideas on what they hope to pursue. She believes that these additions will introduce innovative hands-on experiences while also providing new content for students who are returning.

As Butler expands and changes its programs, it will continue to evolve, adding new opportunities that remain relevant to students. The university hopes to introduce summer engineering and sports management tracks in the future.