Cornerstone Summer Institute

INTERESTED IN APPLYING? CLICK HERE

THE CORNERSTONE SUMMER INSTITUTE IS BACK! We are thrilled to announce that CSI will run in-person and on-Grounds June 23-June 30, 2023!

The Cornerstone Summer Institute provides rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors with the opportunity to engage in historical investigation, archaeological excavation, and community engagement in order to learn and develop thinking skills that will prepare them for success in college and beyond. Come spend at week at America’s first Enlightenment university and continue your own personal journey toward becoming an engaged citizen leader!

Designed by members of the University of Virginia President’s Commission on Slavery and the University, the institute encourages critical thinking while students learn about both the University’s past and the modern-day legacies of slavery. Students explore the early history of the University by getting hands-on experience with archival records, by rolling up their sleeves on an archaeological dig where enslaved people lived and worked, and by learning–through community engagement–how the U.Va. story had an impact on the surrounding area. Students, in addition to collegiate skill-building, get the full U.Va. experience–living in dorms, eating in dining halls, meeting new friends, and exploring the Jefferson-designed school as well as Charlottesville and the surrounding area.

Led by scholars on the UVA President’s Commission on the University in the Age of Segregation (PCUAS) and a team of U.Va. students, participants explore the university, Charlottesville, and area landmarks, including Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and James Madison’s Montpelier. Every year, students leave the camp with a wealth of new knowledge, a passion for history, friends from across the country, and lasting memories. To learn about the camp, please read this CSI post and watch our amazing institute alumni talk about their CSI experiences in this short video.

INTERESTED IN APPLYING TO ATTEND THE CAMP? CLICK HERE for the application!

The deadline for applying is April 1, 2023.

The 2022 Cornerstone Summer Institute’s tuition is $950 all-inclusive for the week.

Some financial aid is available for students with significant demonstrated need. If you have questions about the program, please contact Ashley Schmidt, Ph.D., at aks8rn@virginia.edu.

Questions about the Cornerstone Summer Institute? Please contact Ashley Schmidt, Ph.D., at aks8rn@virginia.edu.

Are you a current UVA student who would like to work as a counselor? Please contact Ashley Schmidt, Ph.D., at aks8rn@virginia.edu.

Notice of Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity Statement

The University of Virginia does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, and family medical or genetic information, in its programs and activities as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, the Governor’s Executive Order Number One (2018), and other applicable statutes and University policies. The University of Virginia prohibits sexual and gender-based harassment, including sexual assault, and other forms of inter-personal violence. You can read the full statement at Notice of Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity.

Download the Notice of Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity (.pdf format)