Warrior-Scholar Project’s Humanities boot camp is a week-long program centered on classic and secondary texts in the American tradition, with a focus on the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the American Civil War, and modern texts on crossing the civilian-military divide. By attending seminars taught by university professors, intensive writing instruction, and structured work time with individualized tutor support, students learn to read closely, engage critically, and develop and communicate complex ideas. Humanities boot camps also include a series of interactive sessions with WSP fellows on being a student veteran, including transitioning to the unique culture of higher education. 

Humanities Course Components:

• Seminars focus on the assigned readings and replicate the experience of participating in a traditional undergraduate seminar. These seminars are led by volunteer university faculty. 

• Writing workshops introduce students to the expectations of college-level academic writing and teach them how to write effectively about what they have read, to cite textual evidence appropriately, and turn their ideas into convincing arguments. Students will complete short writing assignments and one persuasive essay during the week.

• Study groups are led each morning by Warrior-Scholar Project alumni (fellows) and engage students in the process of grappling with complex academic materials in peer-led discussions.

• College Success sessions focus on the academic, personal, cultural, and social transitions required to succeed in college. Sessions cover topics such as seminar participation, note-taking, time management, culture and community, foundational skills, and being an informed consumer of higher education.  

• Tutoring provides students with an opportunity to practice their reading, writing, and study skills. Each evening, students complete reading and writing assignments with tutors on hand who are capable of answering their questions and helping them through whatever difficulties they encounter.

Warrior-Scholar Project’s STEM boot camp is a week-long physics-based program centered on learning and applying fundamental mathematical and scientific reasoning skills. By attending lectures on Newtonian physics with university faculty, recitation sections, and problem sets with WSP fellows, individual work sessions, and research projects with specialized project leaders, participants will gain foundational knowledge and problem-solving skills to help them succeed in college-level STEM courses. STEM boot camps also include a series of interactive sessions with WSP fellows on being a student veteran, including transitioning to the unique culture of higher education.

STEM Course Components:

• Lectures replicate traditional large-group lectures that students will encounter in STEM degree programs. 

• Recitation Sections guide students through problem-solving techniques that are required for college homework assignments, quizzes, and examinations. In these sections, WSP fellows will review problems from the textbook and concepts necessary for completing the assigned problem sets.

• Research Projects explore new scientific topics selected by the research project leaders. Students will work in groups and learn to distribute work and develop leadership skills within a group environment. On the final day of STEM week, research groups will present their research goals, methodology, and conclusions to the staff and other WSP students.

• Problem Sets are designed to build a student’s understanding of the physical concepts in the class and to learn the mechanics of problem-solving. Problem sets are due each day at 9:00 am. Fellows will review the completed problem sets and track each student’s progress.

• Science Talks/Demonstrations/Tours showcase the host campus’ most exciting research. The purpose of these sessions is to expose students to STEM-based fields active on campus that are not represented in the core curriculum while providing students with a break from the heavy course load during the week. 

Warrior-Scholar Project’s Business & Entrepreneurship boot camp is a week-long program that prepares participants for the demands and challenges of a business-related undergraduate degree program with a focus on entrepreneurship. By attending business fundamentals classes with university faculty, business professionalism workshops with WSP fellows, and group work sessions focused on problem-solving and ideation, participants will learn and apply foundational knowledge that will help prepare them for success in business-related majors. Business & Entrepreneurship boot camps also include a series of interactive sessions with WSP fellows on being a student veteran, including transitioning to the unique culture of higher education.

Business Course Components:

The Business course is composed of the following five components:

• Business Fundamentals Classes. Business Fundamentals classes are 2-hour lecture- and discussion-based sessions taught by host institution faculty that focus on one topic related to business fundamentals, such as organizational management, business ethics, marketing, and finance. These classes are meant to replicate college-level business courses.

• Business Prep Classes. Business Prep Classes consist of three 1.25- to 1.5-hour sessions on the case study method, public speaking, and group dynamics. These classes, taught by WSP fellows, help prepare participants for the individual and group work application of business concepts learned throughout the week.

• Case Study Projects. One of the most common ways to learn business fundamentals is to apply concepts directly via real-life scenarios. All participants will complete multiple case studies throughout the week under the guidance of Case Study Leaders (CSLs) who are faculty or graduate students at the host institution. Cases will progress from simple individual projects to more complex group projects and presentations.

• Talk/demo/tour. Each afternoon will feature a different campus-based activity. These 1.25-hour sessions include a talk, demonstration, or tour with a member of the host campus community.

• College Success Sessions. College Success sessions are 1.25-hour discussion-based classes led by WSP fellows. Each session focuses on a different topic related to accessing and succeeding in college, and particularly in a business-related major.