Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story said that the due date for Encounter Engineering applications was July 17. The College of Engineering recently extended the date to July 24. The Daily Reveille regrets this error. 
Applications for Encounter Engineering, a week-long camp that runs prior to the beginning of the fall semester, and the program is expected to double in size this year with almost 360 campers in the program.
Applications for the camp that runs Aug. 14 through Aug, 19 must be in by July 24.
Assistant Dean of the College of Engineering Jada Lewis said she is excited about the expanding attendance of the camp and has acquired enough team leaders for small group sizes, about six people a group, which will help students form meaningful relationships with their mentors.
The camp for incoming engineering freshmen mainly focuses on building relationships in the engineering college community.
“We want students that are enlisting in the College of Engineering to persist through their college careers,” Lewis said.
As the summer program focuses on engineering itself, campers can expect a taste of what is to come in their curriculum.
Students will learn about what it takes to be successful in engineering, participate in math and physics sessions and work on engineering design. On top of the curriculum preparation, campers can also expect to partake in team building exercises to build relationships with their fellow students. One of the events will take place at the new UREC challenge course. Another one of the activities will involve campers working with their groups to build something to transport materials across other planets.
Lewis said many campers are undeclared in their engineering concentrations, so the camp offers an opportunity to meet faculty and staff in the college.
Lewis said there also will be a luncheon at the end of the session where campers will get to meet with professionals and talk about their experiences. These professionals give will give campers advice on how to stay successful in both college and their careers outside of school.
Lewis said that there are many benefits to attending the camp before the first year begins.
“One of the biggest perks is getting … acclimated to the campus early,” Lewis said. “Campers will get to live in the dorms early and get to explore campus a week before everyone else. The group leaders actually take campers around campus to the buildings their classes are in. It helps to relieve a lot of stress.”
One of the bigger benefits of the camp is to help students make friends in the field. Lewis said that much of the time, students in engineering will go into the college without any friends to help them along the way. By having an upperclassman as a group leader, the campers can turn to them as mentors.
The camp is $325, with housing paid for seperately, but students that need financial aid can get help from the program.
“We were blessed for Shell to give us money for fee waivers to help reduce the cost of the camp, and Baker Hughes has given us $45,000 this year to help accommodate all of these new campers,” Lewis said.