June 21, 2011

Contact:   Bill Giduz

Vice President Clark Ross works with high school teachers to keep them up to date with AP economics, one of nine subject areas being covered in the AP Institute this week on campus.

There aren't many Davidson students around, but the level of activity on campus this week resembles the mid-semester pace.

In fact, Davidson's Guest Services Office has welcomed about 1,000 visitors of all ages and interests this week. Their attendance at sports camps and academic programs provides revenue for the college budget, jobs for staff, and a good impression of the college among prospective students and teachers of prospective students.

John Barnhardt, assistant director of Guest Services, said this week is the high water mark for the summer in number of guests. The roster of programs includes men's basketball camp (240 players), men's soccer camp (200 players), tennis (50 players), wrestling (20 campers), Gordon Research Conference (150 scientists), Duke University Talent Identification Program (200 seventh- and eighth-graders), Advanced Placement Institute (160 high school teachers), and Lego camp (40 young construction engineers).

Barnhart manages the crowd with four conference assistants -Bobbie Webster from catering, Outpost manager Adrienne Johnson '08, and students Sarah Fisher '13 and Ethan Clark '12.

Most of the visitors are staying in residence hall rooms, and almost all of the guests are eating two or three meals a day at Vail Commons-more diners than for a typical day during the school year. To accommodate so many people, the meal time for each group is strictly scheduled, with staggered arrivals to avoid long lines.

Following last year's successful three-week trial run, the Gordon Research Conference (GRC) is holding six sessions at Davidson this year. Headquartered in Rhode Island, the GRC is a non-profit organization that stages almost 200 conferences per year on a wide variety of topics in the biological, chemical, and physical sciences. The five-day conferences include formal talks, poster sessions, and lots of free time for informal discussion and recreation.

Duke TIP students, identifiable by their bright green lanyards, stick strictly to the sidewalk as they march to morning class. TIP brings about 400 middle school students to campus each year.

Scientists regard GRC conferences as highly prestigious because presentations are limited to cutting-edge research that has not been previously published. Scientists must apply to attend, and only those with a proven record of leading research and scholarship in the field are accepted.

Davidson is hosting its fourth Advanced Placement summer institute this week, offering instruction in nine AP subjects to the teachers who administer the curricula to their students.

The institute is designed to help AP teachers build on an existing course. Participants work with College Board-approved consultants and Davidson faculty on AP curriculum content and teaching strategies. Participants gain insight on selecting course materials, learning higher level thinking, and preparing students for AP examinations.

Clark Ross, vice president for academic affairs and professor of economics, is the sole AP Institute instructor from the Davidson faculty this year. He said, "We are pleased to be able to offer this support to secondary education, and pleased that so many able high school educators are learning more about Davidson by being here."

Though the numbers of guests diminish next week, the Guest Services staff will remain busy through the end of July with more sports camps, a second session of the three-week Duke TIP camp, and about 70 rising juniors and seniors in high school getting a taste of college life through Davidson's July Experience program.

Davidson is a highly selective independent liberal arts college for 1,900 students located 20 minutes north of Charlotte in Davidson, N.C. Since its establishment in 1837 by Presbyterians, the college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently regarded as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country. Through The Davidson Trust, the college became the first liberal arts institution in the nation to replace loans with grants in all financial aid packages, giving all students the opportunity to graduate debt-free. Davidson competes in NCAA athletics at the Division I level, and a longstanding Honor Code is central to student life at the college.
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