DAAPcamps offers virtual studio experiences for aspiring UC students

If you had the opportunity to visit the eclectic building that houses the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) on the University of Cincinnati campus in past  summers, you would likely feel energy, enthusiasm and creativity pouring from the halls and studios as the college welcomes aspiring Bearcats to its annual DAAPcamps. DAAPcamps has been an important event for the college since its start in summer 2011, allowing hundreds of high school and middle school students come to DAAP and live the motto: Create what will be!

DAAPcamps has an enthusiastic support system through DAAP alumni, faculty, past campers and their families, and the camp's leads (a mixture of esteemed alumni and faculty) who look forward to providing this programming each year. DAAPcamps is also a vital recruiting tool to attract talented students to the DAAP program when it comes time to choose a college to attend. 

“We see approximately 300 young people each summer. And every fall, our entering first-year class in DAAP has approximately 50-60 students who have been to DAAPcamps at least once during their high school years," says Laurie Wilson, Director of DAAPcamps. "We consider this to be such a positive opportunity for everyone involved. DAAPcamps is an integral part of our college's culture.” 

The threat of COVID-19 and its resulting impact on gatherings and access to campus was a major blow to the 2020 event. However, creativity always finds a way. Very quickly, DAAPcamps leadership began to think differently about how to offer the sessions and this year, for the first time, DAAPcamps will offer a selection of Virtual Studio Experiences. 

"We couldn’t let the momentum and positive effects that DAAPcamps have on young learners just be halted because being in-person was not an option for us this summer," says Wilson. "In fact, we just received our first international registration for this year. A student from Hong Kong will be attending our Graphic Communication Design Virtual Experience.”  

DAAPcamps Virtual Studio Experience offer a broad range of creative topics, and all sessions will be attended by campers completely online. Online camp sessions not only provide a safe option for campers to attend, but also allows DAAPcamps a broader reach geographically than ever before. And the topics being offered are typically the most sought-after each year.

July 20-24 offerings include: Middle School Virtual Art Studio Experience; High School Industrial Design Virtual Studio Experience; High School Drawing Intensive Virtual Studio Experience

July 27-31 offerings include: High School Animation Virtual Studio Experience; High School Fashion Design Virtual Studio Experience

Aug. 3-7 offerings include: High School Architecture and Interior Design Virtual Studio Experience; High School Graphic Communication Design Virtual Studio Experience; High School Fine Art Virtual Studio Experience

Campers will participate in synchronous sessions with their DAAPcamps Lead, view pre-recorded tours of workplaces that embody the particular discipline they are studying as well as interviews with professionals who work in their field of choice for camp, and most importantly, create hands-on projects that illustrate and teach the skills they will experience in DAAP’s academic studio environment as college students. Each virtual studio will take place Monday-Friday of the scheduled week.

If you have specific questions regarding this new opportunity or want further details, please reach out to Laurie L. Wilson at laurie.wilson@uc.edu.