Campus in Summertime
For many American college students used to the idea that their teachers in elementary, middle, and high school were also not at school during summer vacation, the fact that a university employee like me works during the summer months can come as a surprise.
I know because I see the looks on students’ faces when I tell them that while they are starting their internships, summer jobs, or other seasonal activities away from Huntington University, I will continue to work on campus, “holding down the fort” until they return in the fall.
Of course, university employees take vacations and participate in summer activities, too, and some of us only work in an office for a portion of the summer, much like high school administrators and teachers do. You may be surprised to learn, however, that a lot of activity happens on a college campus during the summer months.
For those of you who have never had a chance to see your college campus in the summer, here are a few things that often happen in the summertime.
1. Classes: As you might expect, we make a point during the summer to continue doing what we do best — educating students. Although colleges may offer fewer classes in the summer than in the fall and spring, most colleges offer in-person and online classes during the warm weather months.
2. Camps and Conferences: College campuses are ideal for hosting summer camps because they already have the facilities and space required for campers to learn, sleep, eat, and have fun on their park-like campuses. Every summer, Huntington University hosts a variety of academic camps (focused on particular majors or topics of interest) and athletic camps (focused on particular sports). Organizations outside of HU will also rent our facilities and hold their camps and conferences here.
3. Campus Projects: Colleges often use the summer months to give things a fresh coat of paint, lay down new flooring, bring in new furniture, or spruce up campus in other ways. Carpet cleaning days are some of my personal summer favorites, when the smell of fresh soap greets me as I walk down the hallway to my office.
4. Preparations for the Fall: Even for faculty and administrators who have been working in higher education for decades, the coming academic year is an opportunity to evaluate and refine our processes and create or refresh everything from our marketing materials to our syllabi. We spend a significant portion of our summers planning what we can do to make the academic year the best it can be for everyone involved.
5. Missing Our Students: College students bring an energy to campus — a vibe, if you will — that is difficult to replicate while most of them are gone for the summer. Since many employees work in a college setting because we genuinely enjoy working with, teaching, and ministering to college students, we feel their absence acutely. While we may enjoy the peace and quiet for a while, we also start counting down the days until students return.
If you find yourself near Huntington University during the summer months, make sure you take the opportunity to stroll around campus, enjoy in the beautiful summer scenery, and say hello to the Foresters who are hard at work to make our summer classes and camps, our campus facilities, and this next academic year even better than the year before. We would love to see you!
