Ecology
Conservation &
Outreach
Leaders Camp

ECO Leaders is a 4-day overnight summer camp for high school students. Campers will be immersed in STEM and conservation sessions focused on the ecology of the Ohio River and its watershed. Led by TMU faculty, researchers, and conservation professionals, campers will get hands-on, feet-wet experiences exploring various disciplines within ecology and conservation.

Rising high school students with strong interest in ecology and conservation and who want to get hands-on field experience.

Sessions will be led by Thomas More University faculty/staff and other conservation professionals. Campers will also work with Biology Field Station college research interns, who will serve as mentors during the week.

Most sessions will take place at the Biology Field Station, both on land and on the Ohio River. Field trips to other local sites or to TMU’s campus are possible as well.

Campers will stay on-site at the Lodge at the TMU Biology Field Station. Each camper will have their own air-conditioned bunkroom in the Lodge, as well as a communal living space and classroom for meals and socializing.

Campers will gain:

  • Knowledge of and deeper connection to the local ecology
  • hands-on field experiences and skills
  • practice in the scientific method and scientific thinking
  • exposure to disciplines and careers within ecology and conservation
  • a community of scientists, mentors, and friends who share their passion for ecology and conservation

Camp will include structured educational sessions led by faculty and professionals, as well as recreational time and open-ended research time for campers to explore their own interests within ecology and conservation.

Session topics may include:

  • freshwater aquatic ecology
  • forest ecology
  • data collection
  • marine biology
  • animal behavior
  • conservation of threatened and endangered species
  • invasive species management
  • environmental education and outreach

Additionally, campers will get to design their own inquiry project to complete during the week and present their findings at a closing session.

Campers will also have time to hike, kayak, relax in a hammock, and enjoy s’mores and stories around a campfire.

The fee for camp is $500, which includes all meals, lodging, and instruction. Financial assistance is available for qualifying campers who have been accepted to the program.

July 16-22. Campers will arrive in the afternoon on Sunday, July 16. Camp will end on the evening of Friday, July 21 with a closing reception for campers and their families.

Questions? Email Dr. Chris Lorentz, Field Station Director.

The application period for ECO Leaders Camp 2022 is now closed. Check back in January 2023 for information on next year’s camp.