By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
Although graduations are over and Fort Hays State University students are settling into summer break, the university will stay busy as camps, classes and activities continue throughout the season.
Among the summer activities and returning for its 75th season, the High Plains Music Camp, scheduled for July 10-16, will once again bring music students from across the plains to Hays.
During the camp, recitals will be hosted Monday through Saturday, showcasing the work the students and staff put in during the week.
The Hispanic College Institue, which gave students a preview of college life, took place the first week of June.
And the Sternberg Museum will also host a series of Summer Camps at locations across the U.S. alongside local events.
“If you’ve not been to the Sternberg museums website to see the variety of camps, they are spectacular,” said Tisa Mason, FHSU president.
The museum will remain open through the summer, welcoming guests from across the region and beyond to the city.
“It’s great for our community because they’ll be going to the restaurants and hopefully doing a little shopping locally,” Mason said.
Science and Math Institute camps, including a math camp, will return this summer.
“What I really think is great is that the students get to use math to solve problems and then create their own businesses,” Mason said. “How great to take young people who have math skills and start having them think about business planning and entrepreneurship.”
A math camp and camp Norstar, a program to explore rocketry and nanotechnology, is also scheduled.
Athletes of all stripes will also have the opportunity to explore FHSU through ongoing athletic camps.
“We’ve got everything from football, cheerleading men and women’s basketball, wrestling, volleyball, men and women’s soccer,” Mason said. “It’s just a great opportunity.”
While not in store for this summer, she said $5 million in funding from the Kansas Legislature would allow air conditioning installation in Gross Memorial Colesium, expanding those opportunities even more during future years.
“That’ll change opportunities for summer camps and conferences and hosting different regional events there as well,” Mason said. “So we’re excited about that.”
And while special activities create spurts of activity on campus, a few classes will be ongoing. And preparations for next year will also advance, including new student orientations.
“For incoming freshmen and transfer students, that will happen all throughout June and July,” Mason said. “We’re excited about that.”
And as the fall semester approaches, efforts will be underway to prepare.
“We’re excited our housing contracts are filling up,” Mason said. “So, if people are thinking about living on campus, now’s the time to check into that (as) we continue to enroll students.”
And with a program in place that allows students from across the region to take advantage of in-state tuition rates, she said more out-of-state students would descend upon Hays in the coming months.
“There are lots of opportunities, both online and on-campus,” Mason said. “We started that new regional tuition … and we’re seeing increases in students from out of state that are going to come and live in our community. Again, good for businesses, as well as we’re just thrilled to have those students on our campus.”