This summer, high school students can take courses in forensic science, natural disasters, investigative journalism, mathematical problem-solving, or other fields that interest them, all while living and learning at Boston College, and getting an advance feel for college life.
BC is rolling out an array of new features to its Boston College Experience programs for high school students, with two- and three-week options joining the traditional six-week Honors sessions. There is also a new emphasis on STEM-focused programs.
For example, in Exploring Forensic Science—a two-week program designed in part by BC's Connell School of Nursing Professor Ann Burgess, a nationally noted expert in forensic nursing—students will be taken to the lab to evaluate evidence from mock crime scenes and through virtual case studies. Participants in the three-week National Disasters and Catastrophes program will learn about natural events ranging from volcanic eruptions to pandemic diseases, and get a first-hand experience of seismology through field visits to BC's Weston Observatory.
Other two- and three-week programs include the NECIR Journalism Institute, a collaboration with the New England Center for Investigative Reporting at Boston University; the Business and Leadership Institute; an English Language Immersion; and the BCE Summer Challenge in creative writing, psychology, or media and communications.
The six-week sessions include BCE Honors, in which a student can participate in two Boston College Summer Session courses for undergraduates; Writers in the Making, which features seminars, workshops, and field experiences run by BC English Department faculty members; and Math Experience, in which students sharpen their problem-solving skills through a curriculum overseen by BC mathematics faculty.
All of the Boston College Experience programs prepare students for the transition to college life through coursework, extracurricular activities, reflection, and the opportunity to build relationships with other students from around the country and world, said BC Summer Session director Dee Masiello.
For information and start dates of BCE programs for high school students, visit the Boston College Experience site.
—Patricia Delaney | University Communications
