SUMMER HONORS: JUNE 16 – JUNE 28, 2024
Summer Honors
For over 30 years, Lee University has sponsored a one-of-a-kind college experience for academically talented high school juniors and seniors. This two-week program, June 16 through June 28, is an authentic encounter that prepares students to face the academic and social challenges of college life.
Summer Honors is a remarkable educational value! The cost of the entire program is only $980. This includes 6 college credits, books, lodging, meals, and activities.
Students receive a head start on their college career by earning 6 hours of academic credit. While outside of the classroom, students will experience a wide variety of social activities they can expect to find at Lee.
For the 200 or so students selected to participate, Summer Honors is two weeks to learn, grow, laugh, and connect. See the Summer Honors Application below.
We are extremely thankful for the overwhelming interest in our Summer Honors '24 program! Due to the high demand and our commitment to ensuring a safe and enriching experience for all students, we have reached our enrollment capacity for this year. Our Summer Honors '25 application portal will open this fall.
Thanks so much for your interest.
We hope to see you next summer!
To be eligible for Summer Honors, you must meet the following two qualifications:
- Be a member of the graduating class of 2024 or 2025.
- Possess a 3.2 GPA OR have a 24 (ACT) or 1120 (SAT) college entrance exam score.
Also, you will need to submit a letter from your guidance counselor or school administrator verifying your academic record. We accept the first 180 qualified applicants, so go ahead and make your plans to attend.
Summer Honors courses are uniquely created for this program and are taught by some of Lee University’s most outstanding professors. These courses are intensive, pass/fail college courses. Upon satisfactory completion of the courses, you will be awarded six hours of academic credit toward your college degree.
You should plan to arrive on the Lee University campus in time for registration on Sunday, June 16, which begins at 3:00 p.m. Map of Lee Campus. If you plan to arrive by plane or bus and need someone to pick you up at the Chattanooga airport or bus station, please email [email protected] for assistance. Please indicate your flight number, date, and time of arrival.
Since you’ll be an official Lee University student, you’ll be required to abide by our expectations set forth in our Student Handbook. While the Handbook provides specific parameters, the following guidelines will help guide you during Summer Honors:
- Please be on time.
- Please attend all classes and all meetings.
- Please be in your dorm at curfew.
- No one of the opposite sex should be in your dorm room.
- Please respect the campus.
- Please understand that other guests will be on campus during Summer Honors for summer camps.
- Be sure to represent Lee University well.
- Please respect the diversity of student backgrounds which you will encounter at Summer Honors.
- While a student at Summer Honors, you will not be permitted to leave campus unless you are cleared to do so by the Director. No overnight trips—even trips home—will be permitted. If a student leaves campus without permission, disciplinary action will be taken, including sending the student home permanently without the opportunity to complete the program and a refund of any of the costs of the program.
That’s it. Everything else falls under the category of “Check with your Peer Leader.”
- (1) Plain, white t-shirt for decorating
- Bed linens (extra-long twin) & pillow
- Bath Towels, hand towels, and washcloths
- Toiletries
- Alarm clock, if needed
- One dressy outfit for a formal dinner
- Country or Country Club outfit
- Bible
- Camera
- Spending money (optional)
- Coins for laundry machines
- Umbrella/rain boots
- Any sporting equipment you might want to use
- School supplies
- Anything you might need to make a dorm room feel like home for two weeks (shower caddy, etc.)
- Laptop computer (They’re not required but are very helpful for completing assignments. You will have some access to campus computer labs.)
- Shoes to get wet for rafting
- Clothes you don't mind getting messy for Greek Olympics
- Spaghetti strap tops or small tank tops
- Short shorts
- Bikinis or any other two-piece bathing suits
- Music with offensive lyrics
- Tobacco, drugs, alcohol, or weapons
- Fireworks
- Clothes with questionable messages
Students attending Summer Honors are expected to adhere to the dress regulations applicable to all Lee University students. Shorts and t-shirts are appropriate. We simply ask that students be modest (not prudish) in their dress while at Summer Honors.
There are ATMs on campus for your convenience.
Yes, if you are a 2024 graduate planning to attend Lee in the fall, make sure we have your ACT/SAT scores as well as high school transcript. All high school graduates will be given the opportunity to make a schedule while they are here if they have not already done so.
Everyday we will have a general session during which we will make announcements, hand out mail, and get everyone on the same page for that day. If someone wants to send you mail, they can simply address it to:
| (Student’s name) Student Life Office Lee University P.O. Box 3450 Cleveland, TN 37320-3450 |
Your last class will be over on Friday, June 28, 2024. After your Peer Leader checks your room and signs off on its condition, you are free to go. Please do not schedule your departure time before then. We will go over this checkout procedure the day before you leave. If you need to make additional lodging arrangements either before or after Summer Honors, please notify us.
Dr. Jason Robinson
Director of Summer Honors
[email protected]
Lorinda Roberts
Coordinator of First Year Programs
[email protected]
Alex DiSiena
Assistant to the Office of First Year Programs
[email protected]
Stacey York
Administrative Projects Coordinator
[email protected]
- Peer Leader Application
Morning (9:00-11:00 a.m.)
By the Renewing of Your Mind: Worship, Imagination, and the Christian Life
Instructor: Jared Wielfaert, PhD & Lorinda Roberts, PhD
How does our worship shape our desires? And how do our desires shape our character? Does worship end at church? Or does worship continue into the everyday world of workplaces, classrooms, sports arenas, cinemas, and shopping malls? This course applies to the Christian life insights drawn from the work of James K. A. Smith, author of You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit. Students will actively examine and reflect upon ways in which society and culture shape our affections on a daily basis. Each class will acquaint students with a new spiritual discipline intended to form our affections toward Christ.
Doing Business with the Sharks
Instructor: Dewayne Thompson, DBA
The course is designed as an experiment in entrepreneurship. Students select teammates and subsequently develop a business plan for an original product or service. The components of the business plan and the importance of researching customer needs and wants will be presented. Students must develop a “pitch” to a panel of judges who decide the merit of the business plan.
Igniting the World for Change: The Bible, Transformational Teaching, and You
Instructors: Jason Robinson, EdD, & Justin Walker, PhD
Who said learning can’t be fun? Exciting experiments, engaging demonstrations, and enriching discussions will occur throughout the course. The class will employ a variety of techniques to excite and engage students in the classroom setting. During the first week of class, we will examine the American classroom and discuss various strategies for teaching/learning that have been beneficial and those that must be changed. During the second week of class, we’ll examine the idea of change and discuss events that changed the world, events that changed the nation, and events that change the individual.
Lessons from Leaders: Ancient to Contemporary
Instructor: Louis Morgan, PhD
This course allows students to glean from the writings and examples of selected Christian leaders from the beginning of Christianity to the present day and highlight such leaders as Jesus, John Wesley, Dorothy Day, Martin Luther King Jr., Mary McLeod Bethune, C. S. Lewis, and Shane Claiborne. Students will reflect how they can apply the lessons learned in their personal spiritual formation and broader community influence. Class instruction will be facilitated through videos, lectures, brief readings, and group discussions.
Storytelling and Selling: The Art of Narrative Marketing
Instructor: Jeff Salyer, PhD
We all love good stories! They inspire, make us laugh, cry, and…buy? In this course, students will explore how the same storytelling techniques found in great literature, television, and films are used to craft persuasive narratives for brands.
Transforming Communities through Service
Instructor: William Lamb, PhD
Together we will explore the benevolent practices of Jesus along with the good will of humanity. Using theoretical and practical application models, we will map out our own communities to identify areas of need. This class will provide you with resources to step into chaos to bring about transformation.
You, Us, and Disney+
Instructor: Jennifer Thomas, PhD & Susan Ashcraft, PhD
Why do people behave and think the way that they do? How are individuals connected to larger social forces? These are key questions that the social sciences of psychology and sociology seek to explain. This course introduces foundational theories in these disciplines and illustrates them using popular content on Disney+. Students will extend their knowledge by applying the concepts to their lives and the world around them.
Afternoon (1:00-3:00 p.m.)
Ancient/Future Worship: How the Bible, Culture, and Personalities Affect the Worship Music of the Postmodern Era
Instructor: Randy Sheeks, DMA & Cameron Weatherford, DMA
This course is intended to introduce biblical and theological foundations of music in worship, and review, discuss, and perform current worship music. Students will discuss the importance of music and culture, and how music communicates messages within cultural contexts.
Disaster Health and Survival: When Others Run Out, We Run In
Instructor: Jake Fast, MBA, MEd
When disaster strikes, the natural inclination for many is to get away from the emergent situation as quickly as possible to avoid potential danger. For others, it is understood that only during the worst of circumstances can the most significant help be offered, and these individuals are willing to run into the chaos to assist those in need. This course will explore the fundamental skills and knowledge for health and survival in times of disaster to best prepare students to run into disaster while others run out.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Deeper Meaning of C.S. Lewis's Fantasy World
Instructors: Donna Summerlin, PhD, & Andrew Lee, PhD
Remember those stories you loved as a child? Now read them again and discover the deeper meanings you may have missed before.
The Film Experience: Understanding Cultural Language through the Cinema
Instructor: Matt Fisher, MFA
The popular arts are the cultural language of Western societies. Perhaps the most preeminent “speech” can be found in motion pictures. This course will examine the history, modes of production, and messages of the film industry. Discussion topics include interpreting meaning, film theory, methods of production, blockbusters, independent cinema, redemption, and cultural impact.
Keeping Secrets Secret: An Introduction to Cryptography
Instructors: Richard Moy, PhD
Throughout history, cryptography has played a crucial role in the outcomes of wars, political endeavors, and royal conspiracies. Pivotal moments from history will set the stage for our exploration of some of the classical methods of message encryption and decryption in cryptography. To explore these methods, we will develop the mathematical tools that are necessary for us to encrypt and decrypt our own secret messages.
Take the Plunge! Exploring how the Multiple Intelligences Reveals the Many Ways You are Smart
Instructor: Deborah Rosenow, EdD
What does programming a robot, creating a piece of artwork, writing a reflective essay, or learning to juggle have in common? Howard Gardner, a well-known educational theorist, stated, “it’s not how smart you are that matters, what really counts is how you are smart.” This session will focus on exploring the eight intelligences identified in Gardner’s MI theory and how God has beautifully designed our minds to understand the world in multiple ways. Participants will engage in activities that develop and demonstrate how our intelligences can be manifested and better understand how to strengthen multiple intelligence growth in others.
Peer Into Life Unseen: A Hands-On Journey Through Science
Instructor: Sherry Kasper, PhD
Come and enjoy the diversity of God's creation. We will use hands-on techniques to explore the anatomy of several organisms. We will relate this to the physiological role of the various organ systems.
