Youth Experiences’ Summer Camps

Programs make kids feel at home on a college campus

ith two parents working at USF, Donovan Maurer grew up on campus, from preschool to summer camps to USF freshman. 

“USF was all around me,’’ he says. “Visiting my parents’ work, attending all the camps, going to the games …  I fell in love with it.”

Now a biology major at USF, Maurer plans to spend this summer helping more kids fall in love with learning at USF’s Tampa Theatre Film Camp for third through 12th graders.

“It’s safe to say USF is my second home,” he says.

About 2,500 children are expected to attend USF summer camps this year. The Office of Youth Experiences, part of University Community Partnerships, oversees the programs, which cover a range of interests, from sports to arts to computing.

“If the students eventually choose to enroll at USF, it’s just sort of the icing on the cake,” says youth experiences assistant director Caryn Preston, ’15, Life Member. “We’re letting them know that higher education is accessible, and we want all children and families in the Tampa Bay region to feel USF is a place they’ve been to and can go to in the future, if they want to.”

Some camps explore STEM subjects, such as mathematics and coding. Instructors are often faculty members, and Preston’s office helps them adapt material for younger audiences. What might have been a college lecture in robotics becomes a team activity for K-12 students. 

“They’re still gaining the knowledge that you want them to have, while also remembering that it’s summer camp and not school,” Preston says.

Other camps explore careers, such as nursing and hospitality. New this year, Rocky’s Residents gives high school campers the chance to live the college life, staying overnight at dorms with roommates and attending programs during the day. A few other camps have a more definite focus on fun.

Middle school student Colton Brennan is looking forward to his third summer at USF, where he’ll be repeating the Esports camp and trying Music Tech Lab for the first time. For Esports, he suggests bringing along some gaming friends.

“Last year we played Rocket League, Fortnite and I think a little bit of Roblox, and it was pretty fun,” Brennan says, explaining campers participated in an Olympics-style competition.He’s also signed up for Music Tech Lab for seventh through 12th graders, who’ll explore music production and sound design as they create their own masterpieces. 

“I think it’ll help me learn more about music,” he says.

In addition to camps, the youth experiences office works with colleges that create their own outreach to Bay area children. The College of Engineering held its 53rd annual Engineering Expo this spring, attracting thousands of kids and families.

It also creates events designed to welcome families to USF’s campuses. This spring’s second Bulls Family Fest, an outdoor event with activities, music and giveaways, drew about 10,000 visitors.

USF alumni can find lots of opportunities to lead and teach through the youth experiences office, Preston says. Alumni also get discounts on camp fees.

Find youth programming across all USF campuses at www.usf.edu/yxp.

Donovan Maurer, right, with his parents, Amanda Maurer and Nate Wolkenhauer. Donovan started his USF experience as a preschooler.