Summer in The Heights
Join John Carroll University's Summer in The Heights from July 12–17, 2026, for a transformative week of hands-on learning, mentorship, and college readiness for high school students.
One week. One campus. So many opportunities.
Spend a transformative week at John Carroll University exploring what inspires you—writing, business, engineering, media, law, health, leadership, or big-questions about AI and meaning. Learn from faculty mentors, collaborate with motivated peers, and experience life on a college campus while building real skills and preparing you for your college search.
What you’ll experience
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Hands-on learning: Studios, labs, workshops, and team challenges—not lectures all day.
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Mentorship: Work closely with JCU faculty, students, and industry professionals.
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Community: Small cohorts, supportive vibe, and new friends who care about what you care about.
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College readiness: Insider sessions on the college search, how to tell your story, and ways to find success in college.
Explore Programs
Choose one focus for your week. Each program blends hands-on learning, faculty mentorship, and a final capstone so you leave with something real.
Building Future Business Leaders
Learn all the business basics while solving a fun problem. At John Carroll’s Boler College of Business, you learn by doing, so you'll have fun developing entrepreneurship, leadership, management, marketing, accounting, and finance skills while building a business. At the end of this program, you'll pitch your business to a panel of investors.
Consciousness & AI: What Makes Life Meaningful?
A philosophical examination of today’s most pressing questions. Students will work in groups to develop their own perspectives on the issues and then create animated videos using Canva Pro in JCU‘s One Button studio.
From Vision to Action: Ignatian Leadership Strategies
From Vision to Action equips students to discern their passions, design meaningful projects, and lead change in their schools or local communities. Rooted in Ignatian principles of reflection and action, students will learn a practical discernment model, develop a personalized leadership toolkit, and create a plan to implement a project that addresses real needs in their specific context.
Health for the Whole Person
Students will have the opportunity to explore different aspects of health and healthcare in this interdisciplinary program. Faculty from our College of Health will partner with you to do a deep dive into self-care and resilience, components of physical fitness, disease prevention and infection control, and more! This immersive experience will leave students with a broader and deeper understanding of what it means to work in the world of health.
Ignite! Engineering
Design, prototype, and test solutions using fast, iterative engineering challenges
On The Air: Media & Broadcasting Bootcamp
Plan, produce, and present broadcast stories; leave with a short demo reel
The Pre-Law Experience: Mock Trial in the Criminal Court
Learn about the criminal court system in the United States as part of our pre-law program. Hear from professors, lawyers, judges, and other court actors about their roles within the court system. Work with your classmates to develop critical legal skills and engage in a mock trial to complete your week.
Young Writers Workshop
Are you looking for a leg up on college applications? Do you want to hone your writing skills? Do you need some inspiration to write and want to get feedback from peers and published writers? Do you want to have a pre-college experience at a big-time university? The John Carroll Young Writers Workshop is looking for students like you!
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Building Future Business Leaders
Learn all the business basics while solving a fun problem. At John Carroll’s Boler College of Business, you learn by doing, so you'll have fun developing entrepreneurship, leadership, management, marketing, accounting, and finance skills while building a business. At the end of this program, you'll pitch your business to a panel of investors.
-
Consciousness & AI: What Makes Life Meaningful?
A philosophical examination of today’s most pressing questions. Students will work in groups to develop their own perspectives on the issues and then create animated videos using Canva Pro in JCU‘s One Button studio.
-
From Vision to Action: Ignatian Leadership Strategies
From Vision to Action equips students to discern their passions, design meaningful projects, and lead change in their schools or local communities. Rooted in Ignatian principles of reflection and action, students will learn a practical discernment model, develop a personalized leadership toolkit, and create a plan to implement a project that addresses real needs in their specific context.
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Health for the Whole Person
Students will have the opportunity to explore different aspects of health and healthcare in this interdisciplinary program. Faculty from our College of Health will partner with you to do a deep dive into self-care and resilience, components of physical fitness, disease prevention and infection control, and more! This immersive experience will leave students with a broader and deeper understanding of what it means to work in the world of health.
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Ignite! Engineering
Design, prototype, and test solutions using fast, iterative engineering challenges
-
On The Air: Media & Broadcasting Bootcamp
Plan, produce, and present broadcast stories; leave with a short demo reel
-
The Pre-Law Experience: Mock Trial in the Criminal Court
Learn about the criminal court system in the United States as part of our pre-law program. Hear from professors, lawyers, judges, and other court actors about their roles within the court system. Work with your classmates to develop critical legal skills and engage in a mock trial to complete your week.
-
Young Writers Workshop
Are you looking for a leg up on college applications? Do you want to hone your writing skills? Do you need some inspiration to write and want to get feedback from peers and published writers? Do you want to have a pre-college experience at a big-time university? The John Carroll Young Writers Workshop is looking for students like you!
A Day in Your Life
Here's what a typical weekday looks like at JCU's Summer in the Heights.
7:30 a.m. Wake Up Call Residential
Time to get up and start your day!
8:00–8:45 a.m. Breakfast & Morning Meet-up Residential
Grab a bite to eat in Schott Dining Hall alongside your friends and classmates before heading to your first academic program.
9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Academic Programming
Learn from faculty, participate in student-led small groups, hear from industry professionals, and more!
12:00–1:15 p.m. Lunch & Break
Grab a bite in the Schott Dining Hall, shoot pool in the Inn Between, or hang out on the quad. Whatever you need to recharge for the afternoon!
1:15–1:45 p.m. Pre-College Programming
Hear from admission and student success experts on a variety of topics that will help you prepare for college.
2:00–5:00 p.m. Academic Programming
Reconnect with your specific program for an afternoon of continued learning.
5:00–6:00 p.m. Break & Day Student Pick Up
Take some time to rest after a day of learning. Day students will head home at this point.
6:00–7:00 p.m. Dinner Residential
Dine with your new friends and classmates!
7:00–9:30 p.m. Evening Activities Residential
Basketball, board games, swimming, movie night, and more! Each night you will find a variety of options to have a blast and meet new people.
10:00 p.m. Room Check & Lights Out Residential
Settle into your room in Murphy Hall for room check. Your student counselors will be around to make sure you are all set for the night.
FAQs
Residential students will pay $1,000 for five nights on campus, all meals, instruction, supervision, an excursion, and more.
Day students will pay $500 for instruction, lunch, supervision, and an excursion.
Need-based financial aid is available to a limited number of families who qualify.
Residential students will live in Murphy Hall. Murphy consists of single, double, and suite options with both shared and private bathroom options.
The application for Summer in The Heights opens in January. The priority application deadline is March 16. Please come back to this site in January to find the link to apply!
A mixture of John Carroll faculty, industry professionals, and current JCU students will accompany your students through a week of academic exploration!
