Summer break doesn’t have to mean brain drain for young people in the Milwaukee area. From STEM-based camps designed to ignite curiosity and critical thinking to running and shooting hoops on the hardwood, Marquette University provides multiple ways to keep students engaged and learning — and having fun.
Engineering summer programs
The Opus College of Engineering has an assortment of summer engineering experiences for high school students. The Summer Engineering Experiences are nonresidential, half-day programs hosted on Marquette’s campus. The 2025 engineering programs are available for rising 10th graders and above. Families are responsible for their own transportation to and from campus each day.
“Our programs offer students the opportunity to create, challenge, experiment, fail and learn to think differently about problem-solving and their ability to contribute to engineering,” says Dr. Kris Ropella, Opus Dean of the Opus College of Engineering. “Participants will be transformed in their skillsets and mindsets about how engineers approach the world and problem-solving. Moreover, they will experience the power of teamwork in finding innovative ways of thinking and creating solutions.”
Program options:
- Structures in Motion: designing resilient infrastructure for earthquakes and more
- Biomedical Engineering Bootcamp: biology, medicine and technology
- Code for Climate
- Fail, Learn and Repeat: exploration of Automation
- Adaptive Car Build Week with Go Baby Go! Milwaukee
- Smarter Machines: exploring microcontrollers and artificial intelligence
To sign up or for more information, CLICK HERE.
Sports camps
For students who want to include physical activity and athletics into their summertime fun, Marquette has several sports camps from which to choose. Sports camps provide a way for Marquette teams to build a connection between Milwaukee-area children and their families.
“Along with individual instruction, each of our camps incorporate learning what it means to be a good teammate, and regardless of skill level, there is a focus on making sure every participant has a quality experience from start to finish,” says Scott Kuykendall, senior associate athletic director for communications.
Sports camps:
- Boy’s basketball
- Girl’s basketball
- Boy’s lacrosse
- Girl’s lacrosse
- Boy’s soccer
- Girl’s Soccer
- Golf
- Volleyball
More information about the camps is available HERE.
STARTALK program
If engineering and sports doesn’t spark any interest, the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences’ STARTALK Program, a Chinese language learning and game design camp, is an option.
The STARTALK program strives to offer students from kindergarten through college the opportunity to study critical languages to enhance workforce development in the federal government to meet national security needs.
Participants will learn Chinese language and culture through arts, cuisines and music; create culturally relevant websites; learn game design; create their own online games and 3D models in Marquette Visualization Lab; and visit the Haggerty Museum of Art. This camp is free and funded by the National Security Agency.
Find out more information about STARTALK HERE.
Summer reading
Joining a summer reading program is one way to help prevent the “summer slide” or learning loss that some students experience over summer vacation.
The Tragil Wade-Johnson Summer Reading Program takes place the weeks of June 16-20, June 23-27, July 7-11 and July 14-18. The 2025 program includes targeted literacy instruction, integrated literacy and inquiry-based science. It’s open to second- through fourth-graders.
Find out more information about the summer reading program HERE.
Summer Youth Institute
The Summer Youth Institute is a free program through the Marquette University Law School designed to introduce students to the legal system, expose them to careers in law and provide them with practical tools for achieving their educational goals.
The program is open to students entering grades eighth through ten next fall. Enrollment is limited to approximately 24 students.
Discover more information about the Summer Youth Institute HERE.
Storytelling workshop
The Diederich College of Communication is offering an immersive storytelling workshop for high school students. The program welcomes rising high school freshmen through seniors from across the Milwaukee area for a free, one-of-a-kind on-campus workshop focused on storytelling, personal branding and exploring the dynamic field of communication.
To learn more about the workshop and to register, click HERE.
Developing leaders in real estate
The Vieth Institute for Real Estate Leadership is hosting the MKE CRE Summer Immersion Camp. This weeklong intensive summer program is for high school students in the Milwaukee area from underrepresented backgrounds. Students learn about commercial real estate while providing hands-on experiences and site visits.
Find out more information about the camp HERE.
