Who the Ascent Summer Institute is for
Rising first-years, sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
What you’ll experience
During Ascent, you will:
- Experience life on a college campus, learn in Lawrence classrooms, studios, and labs.
- Work closely with Lawrence faculty and expert partners to receive mentorship and feedback on real-world projects.
- Build college-ready skills like collaboration, communication, problem-solving, and creative thinking.
- Connect with a community of peers who are also curious, motivated, and ready to try new things.
- Leave with tangible work and stories you can share in future applications, interviews, and portfolios.
Where you’ll learn
Ascent takes place on ÃÛÌÒAV’s downtown Appleton, Wisconsin campus, with residential students living and learning steps away from the Fox River and a vibrant downtown.
For Aviation, your classroom extends beyond campus to locations such as Appleton International Airport, Fox Valley Technical College, Fox Valley Lutheran High School, and EAA facilities—so you can see aviation in action while you learn.
Programs
Residential
A one-week experience providing food and lodging on the ÃÛÌÒAV campus for the duration of the program. All housing and food fees are already included in the program of tuition. During the day, the student participates in learning blocks, field trips, and other activities; and in the evening, there are fun social events and activities they can participate in with other students.
Note: For residential programs, participants will arrive on July 5th and depart on July 11th. Full program details and itineraries will be shared shortly after registering.
July 6-10*, 2026 | Ages 14-18
*Arrival July 5, 2026| Departure July 11, 2026
Unleash creativity through game design—exploring visual art, storytelling, world-building, and code.
July 6-10*, 2026 | Ages 14-18
*Arrival July 5, 2026 | Departure July 11, 2026
Experience intensive theatre collaboration through physical warmups, stagecraft, character development, choreography, and performance—culminating in a cabaret-style showcase.
Daytime
A one-week experience that occurs during the day where students participate in learning blocks, field trips, and other activities. Housing is not included, and some meals may be provided.
July 6-10, 2026 | Ages 14-18
Discover how maps shape the modern world—from city planning and disaster response to geocaching and global navigation—through hands-on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) exploration.
July 13-17, 2026 | Ages 14-18
Aviation Summer Camp is a hands-on exploration of the science and excitement of flight for high school students.
Summer 2026 Ascent Programming
Art of Video Games
Unleash the thrill of video game design through art, storytelling, concepts, and code!
Creative Collaboration for Theatre
Experience intensive theatre collaboration through daily physical warmups, design, stagecraft, character work, and choreography culminating in a cabaret-style performance.
Understanding & Using GIS Mapping
Discover how Google finds your nearest coffee shop, geocaching powers the worlds largest treasure hunt, Amazon locates lost pets, and cities plan fire stations, schools, and political districts through a hands-on introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the social political power of maps.
Aviation
Explore the skies and beyond! Dive into aviation and aerospace through hands-on projects, behind-the-scenes tours, and exciting challenges led by industry experts, engineers, and expert pilots.