A liberal arts summer Institute
The collaboratory
EXPERIENCE THE LIBERAL ARTS: June 9-13
The Collaboratory
Join us in June for our Liberal Arts Institute and make your summer count! Designed for curious and ambitious teens ages 14-17, our Collaboratory offers a perfect blend of education, enrichment, and fun. From hands-on activities to thought-provoking discussions with your peers and PFW faculty, The Collaboratory is your gateway to discovering the transformative power of a liberal arts education.
Explore. collaborate. Discover.
Learn with Purdue Fort Wayne Faculty
Have you ever wondered what college is like? Would you like to get a head start on college and connect with PFW faculty? Do you have a passion for learning new things? Or maybe you are just the kind of person who looks for new experiences that allow you to grow.
The Collaboratory is a learning institute for anyone ages 14-17. During the week-long day camp held at Purdue Fort Wayne, you will engage with our award-winning faculty who will lead you in collaborative activities, exciting field trips to museums and archives in Fort Wayne, and thought-provoking conversations centered around a wide range of topics related to the liberal arts.
Last year, participants explored everything from how books are made to how to tell a good digital story, to the ways culture shapes food consumption, to the diverse cultures and histories that shape our communities, and more! They also learned about how books are bound and then created their very own blank-page book to keep!
Dates: June 9-13, 2025 | 9:00 AM -3:30 PM each day | Liberal Arts Building, Purdue University Fort Wayne
Fee: $50 (includes light breakfast and lunch each day)
Need-based and merit-based scholarships are available. For more information or if you have questions, contact [email protected] or 260-481-6160.
Registration is opens March 1, 2025 and ends June 6, 2025.
Registration for Summer 2025 is now open and continues through June 4 (5:00 PM). We encourage early registration as space is limited.
Please note that the registration link provided takes you to Purdue’s BoilerBase system, a portal used by all Purdue campuses for registration for Youth Programs. To access it, you will be asked to create a username and password for the Purdue system, if you do not already have one. After you click on the link, you will see that there are two options for logging in: the first is for those who already have a Purdue career account (please note that a Purdue Fort Wayne username and password will not work here). Everyone else will use the non-Purdue log in option.
While the BoilerBase system looks complicated, once you establish an account, the process is streamlined and easy to navigate. When you submit your registration information, you will then be sent to a confirmation window that includes a link for payment. You must follow this link and complete payment to finish your registration and secure your spot in the camp. Have questions or registration issues? Please call 260-481-6160 for assistance. If you received a fee waiver, you will not need to submit payment when asked to follow the payment link.
OVER THE COURSE OF THE WEEK, YOU WILL:
Explore areas of study focused on community, culture, language, and works of literature and other creative expressions.
Investigate the impact of institutions and individual behaviors on our lives.
Discover the importance of our personal and public histories.
Create stories, media, books, and a variety of artifacts and forms of expression.
Build solutions to the challenges we face in our complex world.
Collaborate on fun and engaging activities with a cohort of your peers under the guidance of Purdue Fort Wayne faculty.
Learn about career options in the liberal arts and get to know the Purdue Fort Wayne campus.
Want to stay in the loop? Sign up for updates at [email protected] and be the first to know about the sessions, activities, and surprises we’re planning. Get ready—Summer 2025 will be here before you know it!
nominate a student for the collaboratory
Do you know a smart, engaged, driven student age14-17? Someone who loves to read, ask questions, and learn new things. We welcome area teachers and guidance counselors to nominate students for a spot in our 2025 Collaboratory, to be held June 9-13. Nominated students who complete their registration in time will receive a scholarship waiver of the institute fee.
