Illini Summer Academies (ISA) - June 22-26, 2025

LOCATION: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Bousfield Hall, 1214 South First Street, Champaign, IL. 

ISA REGISTRATION: Opening Mon. Feb 10, 2025 

Registration for Illini Summer Academies 2025 will open on Monday, February 10, 2025. We will send out notifications via our social media pages and all the information you need will be posted here. 

ISA DESIGN TEAM (Due December 22): https://go.illinois.edu/ISADesignTeam25

The Illini Summer Academies Design Team is a statewide leadership and professional development opportunity available to high-school age you in Illinois with an interest in college and career success. The only requirement is that you fill out the application and are able to demonstrate your leadership skills and your interest in helping to improve the experience of ISA '25 student attendees. 

ISA STUDENT ORIENTATION INFORMATION:

Check out our  ISA Orientation Document for more information about what to bring, what to wear, and what to expect at ISA this year. Please read this document carefully as it contains all the information you need to be ready for a great experience! 

ISA ACADEMY HOST INFORMATION: 2025 Fact Sheet 

For our academic partners, we have a fact sheet of information where you can see more details about serving as a host for an ISA Academy. Please be in touch with Mark Becker for additional information and support. 

PAST EVENT DETAILS: 

ISA 2024 Schedule: Link

This is an example of our event schedule from 2024. There may be some changes for ISA '25, but this will give you a good sense of how the event is structured and what to expect day-to-day. 

ISA Code of Conduct: University of Illinois Overnight Event Code of Conduct

Please review this document for information regarding the expectations of our student participants. This will be an important document to review to set your student up for success! 

Past ISA Academies:

Each year our academy offerings will differ depending on the availability of our partners on campus at UIUC. The list below will give you a sense of what we offer as you start to make plans for Summer 2025. An updated list will be posted when ISA registrations go live. 

Business Academy 

Students will learn about various majors and careers in the business field, and get hands-on experience through interactive activities. Whether you're interested in starting your own business, building a brand, managing money, or working with technology--this academy will help you gain the exposure and knowledge needed to start considering a future in the business world.  

Related Careers: Accountant, Entrepreneur, Marketing manager/coordinator, Manager, Consultant, Portfolio/Wealth manager, Investment Banker, Data analysis (in business)

Host College Gies College of Business       Host Department Office of Undergraduate Affairs

Digital Agriculture Academy 

This course is designed to introduce high school students to the basics of coding as it is applied in the context of digital agriculture, with a focus on crops and animal production. Students will learn how to interact with drones, robots, and microcontrollers, and engage in hands-on activities with examples applied to digital agriculture. By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Understand the fundamentals of coding and digital agriculture.
• Apply their knowledge to real-world problems in the field of digital agriculture.
• Use drones, robots, and microcontrollers to collect and analyze data.
• Develop solutions to digital agriculture problems using the skills they have learned.

Related Careers: Agriculture Data Scientist, Precision Agriculture Technician, Ag Robotics and Automation Technician, Bioinformatics Researcher, Computational Biologist, Web/Mobile Programmer, Drone Pilot, Educator

Host College: College of ACES      Host Department: Animal Sciences

Explore Sustainability 

Join the experts, researchers, and professors at the College of ACES (Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences) who are making the latest advances in environmental sustainability. This academy will include experiences in ecological engineering, environmental science and wildlife, sustainable agriculture, environmental economics & business, and food science. This diverse experience will give you a sampling of a wide variety of majors & careers that are all focused on the urgent need for sustainable solutions to the environmental and social challenges we face today.   

Related Careers: Conservation Biologist, Environmental Lawyer, Nutritionist, Environmental Engineer, Agriculture Professional, Environmental Justice Manager, Carbon Neutral Program Director, Corporate Sustainability Manager, Extension Specialist

Host College: College of ACES     Host Department: Natural Resource and Environmental Sciences (NRES)

 Harness the Power: Applications of New Tech to Improve Agriculture  

Participants will explore advances in technology that are revolutionizing agriculture. Learn how machine vision, AI, and robotics can be used to improve crops. Participate in real research to improve popcorn and see how technologies in the laboratory and the field can help solve global food security challenges. Join us and be a part of our research team!  

Related Careers: Plant Scientist, Academic Researcher, Plant Breeder, Data Scientist, Ag / STEM Educator, Project Manager, Electrical and Computer Engineer, AI Developer, Machine Learning Developer

Host College: College of ACES      Host Department: Department of Crop Sciences

Health Innovation Academy

The health professional of the future is going to be very different from traditional doctors and nurses. This academy will show the new job opportunities in healthcare systems that will be available to youth. Participants can plan a provide feedback for future ideas and work collaboratively to solve critical health problems in our world. 

Related Careers: Nursing, Patient Support, Hospital Support Services, Health Workforce Development, Clerical/Administration, Public Health, Pharmacy Technician, Health Educator, Hospital Social Worker, Health Care Provider, Care Coordinator, First Responder

Host College: Carle Illinois College of Medicine, College of ACES    Host Department: U of I Extension: Integrated Health Disparities

Honeybee Biology and Beekeeping 

Learn the biology and behaviors of honeybees and their colonies. Learn the hive equipment and tools. You will put together your own hive body. See how to set up a hive with a package of bees, see how bees work in the hive, store food, and raise the brood. Learn to manage your bees and to keep them healthy. The bees are critical for pollinating some of our specialty crops and helping us have a good food supply. Learn some best management practices to preserve/increase their foraging habitats. Discover how to help them so they can continue to help us.  

Related Careers: Honey Bee Research, Entomologist, Farmer (Vegetable and Specialty Crops), Beekeeper, Biologist, Orchardist, Horticulturist, Honey Producer, Traveling Pollinator Services 

Host College: Liberal Arts and Sciences; School of Integrated Biology      Host Department: Entomology

Molecular and Cellular Biology 

Do you sometimes wonder "How do living things work, what is a cell and how does it function, or What are genes and what do they do?" By asking these questions, you are inquiring about the fundamental cellular processes that are at work in every one of us, and starting on the same path as researchers in Biological Sciences and Medicine. Join the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology to fulfill your curiosity and start exploring the marvelous complexities and inner workings of the cell. Delegates will manipulate cells and their building blocks, using modern research laboratory techniques, while learning about the latest scientific discoveries that allow MCB researchers to discover answers to the above questions. We will spend time working on: The effects of UV light on a bacterial population, how to insert a gene of interest into a population of bacteria, how to extract their own DNA, Blood Typing, The eukaryotic cell, and Enzyme Biochemistry. Delegates will also have the opportunity to tour a research laboratory, learn about the research being done, and meet the scientists.  

Related Careers: Molecular Biologist, Cellular Biologist, Research Specialist, Medical Fields, Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, Forensic Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, Disease Control, Food Safety, Healthcare, Policy or Law, Agriculture, Wildlife Management 

Host College: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences      Host Department: Molecular and Cellular Biology

Narrative Design and Video Game Development with GDevelop

Have you ever wanted to design and program your own video game? Come join us and learn some of the basics with GDevelop, an open-source game development software. Dip into some of the narrative, gameplay, and level design that goes into games. This academy will introduce you to both the theoretical and practical aspects of game development for role-playing games.  Prerequisite: Working computer knowledge, including basic keyboarding and mouse skills. 

Related Careers: Game Designer, Game Developer, Mobile App Designer, Special Effects Artist, Game Tester, Character/Level Designer, Game Writer, Game Audio Engineer, Multimedia Specialist

Host College: iSchool of Information Sciences       Host Department: Informatics - Game Studies and Design

Unlocking Your Leadership Potential

Join our academy to explore your unique leadership style using the Illinois Model of Leadership. Get ready for a mix of hands-on workshops, exciting campus tours, and engaging panels featuring student affairs leaders across campus. Develop valuable skills in strengths-based approaches to work, time management, conflict resolution, empathy, and teamwork. Don't miss out on this empowering opportunity to step into your leadership potential!  

Related Careers: Medical Professional, Lawyer, Educator, Politician, Researcher/Scientist, Athlete/Coach, Armed Services, First Responder, Social Worker/Counselor

Host College: Student Affairs       Host Department: Illinois Leadership Center

Veterinary Medicine & Animal Sciences

Are you interested in animals, medicine, ER, and science? Do you like helping people? Do you like unraveling mysteries? Do you like real challenges? If you answered yes to these questions, then the wide world of veterinary medicine and animal sciences may be for you. Join us for an exciting, hands-on academy focusing on the many sciences related to the world of animals. We will cover various species, from farm animals to companion animals to wildlife, in multiple disciplines, from nutrition to reproduction. Learn about the world of animal sciences and the diverse career paths that animal scientists can take. Take a step into the world of veterinary medicine and see what veterinary school is like, learn about the different aspects of veterinary medicine, and more. Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences Academy participants will learn about the science of veterinary medicine, anatomy, immunology, public health, wildlife medicine, large and small animal medicine, and guided tours of the UIUC animal production units.  Open to youth who have completed at least their 10th grade of high school by the time of the Academy. No repeat attendees. 

Related Careers: Veterinarian, Vet. Technician, Animal Caretaker, Animal Trainer, Public Health Advocate, Wildlife Manager, Marine Biologist, Animal Breeder, Kennel Manager, Researcher/Educator, Consultant

Host College: Veterinary Medicine and College of ACES     Host Department: Office of Online Programs and Extension, Animal Sciences

College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. University of Illinois, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Local Extension Councils Cooperating. University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact the event coordinator. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your needs