UVA Wise Governor’s School Program is Now Accepting Applications

Applications are now open for rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors for the Governor’s School program at UVA Wise. The Governor’s School program is a two-week residential program that runs June 8-22 for those who have demonstrated significant effort and achievement in the sciences. 

"Our mission is to immerse advanced learners in research and field experiences centered on the ecosystems and natural history of Southwest Virginia, and to have a lot of fun along the way,” says Teresa Brown, assistant professor of geology at UVA Wise. 

The program is sponsored by the Virginia Department of Education and UVA Wise and is completely free of charge. The first week will be spent camping at the Oxbow Center’s Clinch River Ecological Education Center (CREEC) in St. Paul, Virginia. Students will live in the College’s residential halls for the second week.

Mornings are typically spent in the field or laboratory conducting experiments. Students will be loaned iPads so that they can utilize technology to learn. Some of the general topics that will be covered are ecology, forestry, botany, geology, paleontology, environmental microbiology and more. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in several fun, educational activities and fieldtrips such as going on a cave tour at Natural Tunnel State Park.

Students are chaperoned by program instructors and residential counselors. All program participants are expected to sign and uphold a student code-of-conduct. 

The program serves school divisions in Wise, Scott, Lee, Dickenson, Buchanan, Bland, Carroll, Giles, Grayson, Pulaski, Russell, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wythe, Floyd and Patrick counties. The cities of Norton, Radford, Bristol and Galax are also included. Students are expected to have demonstrated strong work in the natural sciences, as well as a positive attitude and a strong work ethic. 

For more information and how to apply visit www.uvawise.edu/gov-school.