Thiel College collaborates with Gibson House on history day camp for school-aged students

GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Thiel College welcomed school-aged students to campus Monday for a weeklong summer history leadership day camp that combines classroom instruction, hands-on research, podcast production and historical experiences in partnership with Gibson House Manor Museum in Jamestown.

The camp, which began July 6, is designed for students entering grades 7-12 who are interested in history, leadership, education, law, museums and public service. Participants are spending each day on campus with morning academic sessions before traveling to Gibson House Manor Museum for afternoon programming.

Each morning, students participate in interactive lessons exploring the Underground Railroad, the Fugitive Slave Act, the Civil War, abolition, leadership and entrepreneurship while developing skills in research, debate, critical thinking, communication and problem-solving. Breakfast and lunch are provided daily on the Thiel College campus.

A distinctive feature of the program is Thiel College’s podcast studio, where students are recording and producing podcasts documenting their research, discussions and reflections throughout the week. The experience introduces participants to digital storytelling while demonstrating how communication technologies can help preserve and share historical narratives.

Thiel faculty member Assistant Professor of History Jay Donis, Ph.D., is helping with the camp as students investigate historical topics, develop presentations and translate their findings into podcast content.

Afternoon sessions at Gibson House Manor Museum complement the campus experience with tours, historical reenactments, discussions and collaborative activities centered on the Underground Railroad, Abraham and Mary Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and the legal, political and economic issues surrounding slavery in the United States. Students also participate in leadership and entrepreneurship exercises that connect historical lessons with modern-day problem-solving.

The program introduces students to college learning through faculty-led instruction, collaborative projects and campus facilities while providing opportunities to explore academic disciplines and career pathways related to history, education, communications, law, nonprofit leadership and museum studies.

Related Links

• Office of Admission
• Department of History

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