A student on the left side of the photo holds a microphone while a student on the right side directs the camera in her direciton.

Summer Camps

Explore your interests through one of our hands-on camps conducted each summer for high school students taught by Bellisario College faculty members.

About the Camps

The Bellisario College of Communications offers high school students a chance to explore opportunities in the exciting world of communications and media. These fully immersive camps offer students the chance to live on campus, work in the state-of-the-art Bellisario Media Center and build a network of peers that is aligned with their interests. 

Students can choose from four options, with details about the camps lower on this page: 

  • Broadcast Journalism
  • Film Production
  • Social Media & Content Creator
  • Visual Storytelling

Summer 2025

July 6-11, 2025

Tuition: $1,700 / Early Registration: $1,500
Eligibility: Age 14-18 as of July 1, 2025

-- APPLY FOR CAMP --

Questions?

Contact Emily Clevenger (eclevenger@psu.edu / 814-863-6081) for more information.

Schedule a Virtual Meeting with Emily Clevenger

Broadcast Journalism Camp

A gentleman in the center of the screen gets interviewed by two students with a camera who are positioned left and right on the image.

Penn State's state-of-the-art television studio provides a home for campers who choose this option. Students will work in the same newsroom and studio used by award-winning Penn State students as they learn about TV news and sports productions. It's an opportunity to explore essential broadcast journalism skills, newsgathering techniques, storytelling and more.

The sessions allow campers to produce their own news or sports video story from start to finish. Students will have an opportunity to record their video and interviews, as well as write and edit their story.

Campers will also gain insight into other areas of TV news/sports from experienced professionals who have worked in the industry for years. Along with faculty, students in the broadcast journalism major at Penn State will serve as counselors, providing an additional resource for those interested in the field. This camp is a good option for students considering a career in either on-air or off-air television news and sports (including reporting, anchoring, producing and videography).

INSTRUCTORS

Students working in a TV studio.
Four people with a camera on a grassy area for an interview.
A student focuses her camera on a table of items for sale.
Students with a camera interview a baseball player.
A student's image is shown on a monitor scren.

About Broadcast Journalism Camp

Film Production Camp

Are you creative? Are you motivated? Are you interested in making movies?

If so, plan to attend the Penn State Camp for Filmmakers! This camp offers you the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in film and video production. During the week on campus, campers will plan, shoot and screen three separate projects.

Along with that will come discussion and practice in shot grammar and story construction as well as hands-on camera training.

Campers will have the opportunity to:

  • pitch story ideas;
  • work with a small team to produce videos;
  • learn to be a writer, director, actor, cinematographer, and/or editor; and
  • learn the basic techniques necessary to bring their creative vision to the screen.

The session led by industry professionals and experienced Penn State faculty includes a focus on lighting and scripting. Students also get the chance to work in state-of-the-art facilities on campus, including the dedicated film shooting space in the Bellisario College and the green screen

INSTRUCTOR

A student checks on focusing a camera.
A student in a hat smiles at the camers.
Two students collaborate to set up a camera shot.
A student looks at the camera, framed by parts of a camera.
Students laugh while discussing a camera shot.
A student smiles at the camera while standing next to a light kit.

About Film Production Camp

Social Media and Content Creator Camp

A graphic of a smartphone with icons for social media channels

Do you always know what’s trending? Like making social media content instead of merely consuming it? Dream of being a YouTuber or TikToker? The world of content creators is swirling with creativity, excitement and mystery. These storytellers have drastically changed how people seek entertainment, follow news, find community and educate themselves as shoppers. Opportunities abound for the curious, driven and creative in these connected times.

This camp focuses on getting the most out of social media for personal and professional purposes as well as seeing beyond the glamour of an influencer life. Campers will learn:

  • How social media can help launch their careers as creators and help brands engage with their audiences.
  • How to produce compelling photos and videos.
  • How to find the right platform and audience for their own content ideas.

They’ll learn from instructors and counselors who launched their own digital projects and can break down the basics. This camp introduces students to the practical, professional side of social media. Throughout the week, they’ll get hands-on experience, creating content at events on campus and in the community. By the end, campers will recognize the opportunities and meet the challenges posed by social media – they’ll be ready to flourish in this digital age.

INSTRUCTOR 

Social media campers use a cellphone for take a photo.
Campers record a young student.
Group shot of students participating in camp.

About Social Media Camp

Visual Storytelling Summer Camp

In this camp, students explore extraordinary local stories by forming connections with the quiet lives of real people. During the week on and around campus, we will work to create beautifully photographed, memorable visual stories that center around empathy, an ability to make human connections and, most importantly, allow students to develop personal vision and critical thinking skills.

Visual storytelling is a craft, and a calling, that will continue to be a marketable skill into the future in a broad variety of fields and industries. Students will leave camp with a story they produced, and human connections they are proud of.

Practical skills and story process are taught in a hands-on workshop setting. During the sessions, we work on specific elements of craft; including camera basics, lighting, approaches to documentary production, and building relationships as trusted storytellers.

Campers approach visual storytelling as community-building, public-service journalism by documenting local communities in and around State College. It is an opportunity to take advantage of big school resources to produce small town stories in sessions led by prize-winning industry professionals and experienced Penn State faculty.

By the end of the week, campers will:

  • Produce a visual project in ways that build trust in media
  • Use professional cameras and other tools to gather still images, video, audio and text, edit them and present compelling stories online
  • Evaluate their own work and work of the peers and provide feedback
  • Build connections with sources, mentors and peers and develop empathy during the storytelling process.

INSTRUCTORS

About Visual Storytelling Camp

2024 Summer Camps Recap

Penn State is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission, and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of their actual or perceived age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment violate the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University’s educational mission, and will not be tolerated. This access is extended to all university-sponsored youth programs, including 4-H.

The needs of any participant in a youth program will be discussed privately with that child’s parent/legal guardian on a case-by-case basis with the goal of promoting a safe environment and quality experience. If you have any questions, please contact the program manager, Colette Rodger, cms324@psu.edu.

(Updated Feb. 1, 2024)