High school seniors experience college life at Summer Scholar's Program

When does studying hard finally pay off?  For some high schoolers, earlier than others.

 

Recent attendees of Lipscomb University’s Summer Scholars program not only received up to three hours of college credit this summer, but they got it at a reduced price as part of the Summer Scholars program, a residential academic program.

 

The intensive program allowed high school seniors to experience a slice of college life before their freshman year and allowed them to earn three hours of college credit in just 10 days.

 

The scholars were able to choose from four academic course area: business, history, law and conflict management and humanities. Each class was offered Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.

 

Students who chose to concentrate on law attended Getting from 'At Odds' to 'At Peace,' taught by a team of real attorneys and allowed students to learn and practice skills utilized by professionals during negotiation, mediation, reconciliation and arbitration.

 

History buffs attended Racing to a Bloodbath: The Question of Race and the Coming of Total War, which focused on slavery and the coming of the Civil War. Using historic sites in and around Nashville, Lipscomb history professor Tim Johnson made history come to life as the scholars visited places others can only read about.

 

“This course took the scholar students back in time to the beginning of our nation and walked them through the major events that shaped the country politically and socially,” said Johnson. “The course gave the scholars credit for HI 2213, which satisfies the university’s general education requirement in history.”

 

The scholars did plenty of studying, but they were also able to experience social life as a college student through a variety of fun-filled activities designed to educate as well as entertain. Social activities were built in so students could get to know each other and develop friendships with potential classmates in the future.

 

Team-building exercises, ropes courses and games at a local retreat center were just some of the activities the scholars participated in on their first day of the program. Accompanying the scholars throughout the week were current Lipscomb University students, who were there to provide a realistic perspective on college life for the scholars.

 

“The Summer Scholars Program is a great opportunity for Lipscomb to show these students what we offer and how fun college life can be for them. It’s nice to see students serious about school, but Summer Scholars shows it can be fun too,” said Lacy Pack, a Lipscomb sophomore who worked with the Summer Scholars program.

 

The students certainly appreciated their preview of the college experience. At the end of the week, students proclaimed Summer Scholars: “one of the greatest experiences of my life” and “very beneficial to my future.” “I learned a lot academically as well as spiritually,” said another.

 

“After spending the week with the scholars and showing them the benefits of Lipscomb, five or six of the students have come up to me to tell me they are excited about college and interested in coming to Lipscomb,” said Pack. “These scholars are great academics and the entire program is a great asset to our university.”