Ready, Set, GEAR UP for College Summer Camp!
Minneapolis College is known as a place where students can map out their future and earn an education designed to take them to the places they want to go in life. It offers affordable pathways to high-quality degrees, diplomas, certificates, and more.
This summer, Minneapolis College will host 50 high school students from Minneapolis Public Schools as they embark on an experiential campus experience called Summer Spark to learn about college, financial aid, scholarships, PSEO, student life, equity and inclusion, careers, and much more. Students are part of the Gaining Early Awareness & Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP), a nation-wide, federally funded grant initiative offered through the U.S. Department of Education.
Hands-on learning opportunities will take students on a comprehensive exploration of the college, including behind the scenes looks at its state-of-the-art IT classrooms, nursing labs, and trades facilities. Students will even have a chance to create something using the same equipment enrolled students use that they can bring home.
Trips to The Guthrie Theatre and Minnehaha Falls will further enhance the Summer Spark camp experience, providing students the chance to learn about careers in the arts and environmental sciences.
“MPS GEAR UP is thrilled to continue our partnership with Minneapolis College on this fantastic summer camp opportunity for our students,” said Lizzie McNamara, GEAR UP Project Manager, Minneapolis Public Schools. “We're excited to see our students engage in this experience and look forward to a successful program.”
Participating students will receive free SWAG bags filled with water bottles, t-shirts, notebooks, and more. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks will be provided along with a Metro Transit Pass good for the entire summer.
“The students who will be on campus are part of a GEAR UP cohort, comprised of low-income, first generation, and/or students of color,” said Jocelyn Roof, Career Coordinator, Minneapolis College. “The program follows them through middle and high school, seeking to expose them to unique college and career readiness experiences. It’s exciting to see their growth and to see they are getting ready to graduate from high school and pursue college.”
“The GEAR Up summer camp experience demystifies college for students and allows them to see it as an accessible and fun learning opportunity,” said Mandy Thor, Career Exploration Coordinator at Minneapolis College. “Students can see staying in Minneapolis, learning and growing, and securing jobs in our community as a real possibility.”
Minneapolis Public Schools was awarded their second seven-year GEAR UP grant in 2020. Over the course of the grant, GEAR UP will serve 2,700 Minneapolis students in 15 of the districts middle and high schools. This project supports the classes of 2027 and 2028 and will follow the same cohort of students through their senior year of high school.
College Bound GEAR UP students interested in this exciting opportunity taking place from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. on June 10, 11, and 12, 2025 can get in touch with their GEAR UP school counselor to learn more.