Experience your future

NOTE: This program will not be offered in 2024.

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The Summer Career Explorations Program is a one-week career development and exploration program for students who have completed their freshmen, sophomore, junior, or senior year of high school.

Choose a field of study that interests you, and spend a week on Calvin’s campus investigating your career options. You’ll spend mornings participating in creative, hands-on sessions led by Calvin faculty, and engage directly with people in your field of study through job site visits. In the afternoons, you’ll participate in career development workshops led by Career Coaches from Calvin’s Career Center and will enjoy campus fun, such as Calvin’s climbing wall and swimming pool.


Digital Filmmaking Students
Digital Filmmaking ~ Prof. Sam Smartt

Discover how to tell compelling stories through video. Visit a variety of worksites in Grand Rapids to see professionals in action and learn about their careers. Get hands-on training to improve your own media production skills!


History student
History ~ Prof. Katherine van Liere

Discover careers related to history and contribute to a collaborative class blog through personal interviews and research. Visit organizations such as local museums, and meet professionals who have put their historical training to work in diverse fields.


Nursing students
Nursing ~ Prof. Adejoke Ayoola

Find out how varied and flexible a nursing career can be, from clinical to community work settings. Explore unique opportunities and tour facilities on campus (Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex, nursing simulation lab) and in town.


Strategic Communication students
Strategic Communication ~ Profs. Kathi Groenendyk and Garth Pauley

Explore fast-growing careers in public relations, advertising, and social media. Meet local professionals who work with the news media, create social media content, and build team cultures. Visit organizations like West Michigan Whitecaps baseball and the Grand Rapids Public Museum.


Education student with her students
Education

Discover how skills you’ll develop in an education program could serve you well teaching in a physical or a virtual classroom with children and young adults. Discover other roles in education and ways to apply your education degree to business or non-profit work. Join us as we investigate the possibilities through field trips, interviews, and so much more.

Day camp

Day campers drive to campus (each day) and return home after camp each day. Cost includes lunch, outings, and program materials.

  • Deposit $300
  • Full amount $550 (includes deposit)
Additional Forms

Overnight camp

Overnight campers stay on campus for the whole week and experience college life in the residence halls. Cost includes room and board, outings, and program materials.

  • Deposit $300
  • Full amount $1600 (includes deposit)
Additional Forms

Please Note: Due to a limited number of spots, deposit is non-refundable. A payment plan is available for the full amount payment option. Each field of study has a minimum of 10 participants and a maximum of 15 participants, accepted on a first come, first served basis.

Daily schedule

9 a.m. Field of study of your choice (hands-on sessions and job site visits)
12 p.m. Lunch
1:30 p.m. Career Center workshops
3:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Team building and college activities

In Their Own Words

Frequently Asked Questions

We believe that all our offered options this year will provide you with a unique and fulfilling experience. To ensure that you get your desired field of study, make sure to apply and send in your deposit early; this secures your first selection in the program. There is a limit of 15 students per field of study.

 

The non-refundable deposit is meant to ensure that when your student applies for a field of study, they will get into that field of study by securing their spot at that time with the deposit. There is a minimum of 10 participants to offer a field of study. In the unlikely event that we would be unable to run a field of study, the deposit would be refunded.

Of course! Students are encouraged to participate in this program as often as they would like to explore different fields of study.