Summer camps see growth
Activity on the USU-CEU campus during the summer includes a more limited class schedule, but is supplemented by a succession of visitors who make the campus their home away from home. Staying on campus from a few days to several weeks, high school athletes, geology students from major universities, young vocalists, and many other groups travel to Price during a 12-week window between spring and fall terms.
Activity on the USU-CEU campus during the summer includes a more limited class schedule, but is supplemented by a succession of visitors who make the campus their home away from home. Staying on campus from a few days to several weeks, high school athletes, geology students from major universities, young vocalists, and many other groups travel to Price during a 12-week window between spring and fall terms.
Dean of Students Alex Herzog, Ed.D., oversees the summer camps program. “We have a dedicated staff, who work pretty hard to ensure that our summer program attendees get great customer service,” Herzog said.
Summer 2010 saw a 17 percent increase in camp revenues, the highest level since 2004. Notable among the participants were 5A- and 4A- state football champions, Bingham and Timpview high schools, each bringing 200 visitors to the campus.
Penn State, University of Idaho and Fort Hays State were representative of geology field groups. Upward Bound and Gear Up are programs designed to expose prospective students to the college experience. Winning the most entertaining category was Madeleine Choir School from Salt Lake City. In all, the summer staff hosted 17-distinct groups.
The summer program serves more than one purpose. First, it exposes the college to thousands of prospective students and their parents, many of whom have never known the college existed. Secondly, it provides supplemental revenue to auxiliary and athletic programs on campus.
A by product of this is the provision of many summer employment opportunities for students and community members. Third, the community benefits through economic activity through the direct purchase of services such as theatre and wave pool admissions, and indirect activity of local purchases of food, fuel and lodging by visitors, he explained.
Planning has already begun for summer 2011, with many “anchor” camps already on the calendar. Marketing activities, including direct mail, e-mail, telephone and personal visits to schools will begin as early as December and continue through winter and early spring.
The summer staff, which includes housing, dining services, maintenance, coaches, and student and community workers have always made our visitors feel welcome.
“We always hire a few students for the summer to work for the Summer Camps Program. It’s a great way to pay for housing while taking classes over the summer,” stated Herzog. “Many of the groups come year after year, in spite of frequent solicitations to go elsewhere.”
