Fifty three Hamilton County high school students will travel to Sewanee: University of the South on Thursday for Camp College, a two and half day workshop that will offer intensive, hands-on help in navigating the complicated college application process.\
“Camp College is designed to help first-generation students with all the ins and outs of finding the right college, then applying and paying for it,” says Stacy Lightfoot, PEF vice president of College & Career Success. “It can be a daunting process and we often find that very talented students don’t enroll in college because they just don’t know where to begin or what’s required. Visiting a beautiful campus like Sewanee is an eye-opening experience for many students. We are thrilled to partner with BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee this year to add a career exploration component to Camp College, so students can plan for their futures with a concrete career path in mind.”
Before heading to Sewanee, the students will make a stop at BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee to learn about the variety of career options available there. Once they arrive at the BlueCross headquarters on Cameron Hill in Chattanooga, they will eat breakfast and receive a tour of the campus before they divide into their career groups. They will participate in one of several breakout sessions based on their chosen interests. They will hear from experts that work in marketing and communications, information technology, nursing, finance or in the legal department. After hearing from professionals about the variety of jobs available and skills needed to work in those fields, students will be served lunch before departing for Sewanee.
“We are proud to host these students on our campus and want them to learn all they can about what we do here,” said Karen Ward, senior vice president and chief human resources officer at BlueCross. “There are many professions and skill sets involved in financing health care, and this is a great opportunity for these students to learn about all the opportunities available at BlueCross and the skills necessary to be successful in whatever career field they choose to pursue.”
The faculty at Camp College will include 23 admissions counselors and college advisors from around the country who have volunteered their time and expertise to help. Workshop sessions include mock interviews, admissions role playing, essay writing, filling out college and scholarship applications, understanding financial aid, and a college fair.
Graduates of Camp College enroll in a wide variety of colleges such as Wake Forest and New York University, along with many Tennessee institutions including UTC, Chattanooga State, UT Knoxville, MTSU, ETSU, Carson-Newman, Fisk and Tennessee Tech. Ninety-two percent of Camp College students from the class of 2013 returned to college for their sophomore year in 2014, higher than the national retention average.
2015 Camp College participants:
Maliyah Belue, Tyner; J’dairus Cameron, CSAS; Raekwon Caslin, Tyner; Kaitlin Chambers, Central; Hunter Coblentz, Hixson High; A’keia Colley, CGLA; David Condra, Hixson High; Kaleb Cook, Central; Jackson Cordell, Sale Creek; Vinceia Crittenden, CGLA; Teyana Crutcher, Red Bank; Emily Davis, Sale Creek; Nadia Davis, Red Bank; Carlijah Edwards, CSAS; Erika Ellis, Red Bank High; Wydedra Foster, Lookout Valley; Samantha Gibson, Sale Creek; Daniel Gorshelev, Hixson High; Destiny Hannon, CSAS; Ajasia Harris, Howard; LaSavion High, Howard; Amia House, Center for Creative Arts; Tamia House, Center for Creative Arts; Alexis Jackson, Soddy Daisy; Brandon Jackson, Tyner; Osirus Jones, Center for Creative Arts; Jaylon Jordan, Red Bank; Jeremy Kimbrough, East Hamilton; Leila Lin, Hixson;
Michaela Lowe, Soddy Daisy; Lyric Moore, Brainerd; Jakeiry Morales, Ooltewah; Van Nguyen, Lookout Valley; Chase Payne, Soddy Daisy; Maria Ramirez, Red Bank; McKayla Rhodes, Howard; Jerry Robinson, Center for Creative Arts; Hunter Schobert, East Ridge; Christian Sinclair, Brainerd; Shannon Spralls, Tyner; Elisabeth Sterchi, CSAS; Rosie Stewart, Howard; Dava Streeter, Soddy Daisy; Antionette Taylor, Tyner; Jace Terry, Sale Creek; Armiya Thomas, Ooltewah; Breanna Tinsley, Center for Creative Arts; Patricia Trotter, CGLA; Hannah Walker, Center for Creative Arts; Kayla Wells, Center for Creative Arts; Jacob Westmoreland, Soddy Daisy; Iyanna Wooden, Ivy Academy; Courtney Woods, Howard.