Incoming freshmen get summer introduction to Purdue through Academic Boot Camp

July 11, 2006

Students entering Purdue University will have an easier transition to academic life through a summer program that introduces strategies to help them adjust personally, socially and academically to university life.

Purdue's Academic Boot Camp takes 55 incoming freshmen and 10 returning sophomores through intensive seminars to provide them with the tools to help them succeed as university students. The camp, which started July 1 and runs through August 4, was organized by Purdue’s Minority Engineering Program in cooperation with the College of Science and the College of Technology. The students are registered to study in the College of Engineering, College of Technology and College of Science and come from around the nation, including the states of Indiana, Maryland, Texas, California, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Missouri.

"The first three semesters of college life are critical in determining the academic success of students," said Virginia Booth-Gleghorn, director of Purdue's Minority Engineering Program. "Our goal is to help them acclimate to university life because once fall starts these students have to hit the ground running."

During the boot camp, students reside in campus residence halls and complete an academic preview that covers the core concepts of first-semester courses in calculus, chemistry, engineering and English. Students must also complete a team-based engineering project. This year's project is building radio control cars that can run 50-70 mph.

"It's important to point out that this is not a remedial initiative," Booth-Gleghorn said. "These are outstanding students that meet or exceed Purdue's aggressive entrance criteria. Our focus is African American, Native American and Hispanic American students, but any first-year Purdue science, technology or engineering student is invited to participate."

The project helps students in several key areas:
• Adjusting to the social and cultural differences as they move from high school to college.
• Helping them understand the differences in the way academic courses are taught at the university level, college learning styles, classroom size and ethnic mix.
• Experimenting with lab equipment at a university and applying textbook concepts to academic problems.

This year the program includes a component for returning sophomores.

"We have some returning students who will study electrical circuit design, thermal dynamics and other advanced courses," Gleghorn said. "We plan to add an internship program next year that will include students who have gone through the project and want to help incoming freshmen."

The project is in its second year of a five-year program. Sponsors for the program include the Purdue College of Engineering, Purdue Office of the Provost, the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, Lockheed Martin Corp., General Motors Corp., Caterpillar Inc., DaimlerChrysler, Delphi Corp., International Truck and Engine Corp., Shell Corp., Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, the Indiana Space Grant Consortium and individual Purdue alumni.