Daemen University welcomed high school juniors and seniors to campus in July for three academic summer camps: Physician Assistant Summer Institute, Physical Therapy Summer Institute, and Animation Academy.
The PA department offered its first-ever PA Summer Institute (PASI), led by PA faculty Elizabeth Sendlak, PA-C and Hannah Gawlak, PA-C. PA faculty gave rising high school juniors and seniors interactive experiences in Daemen’s state-of-the-art facilities. Participants completed a BLS certification course, learned to take vitals and perform EKGs, and participated in a simulation activity with the high-fidelity manikin in the Center for Interprofessional Learning and Simulation (CILS).
The PT Summer Institute, led by Ryan Boggs, DPT, DSc, associate professor of physical therapy, and Jennifer Schied, PhD, CSCS associate professor of physical therapy, featured interactive sessions facilitated by nine faculty, offering students exposure to PT specialties in orthopedic, pediatric, cardiopulmonary, and neurologic PT, among other experiential learning lab sessions. 
Together, PA and PT attendees took part in introprofessional activity and were immersed in a hands-on learning experience in the Gross Anatomy Lab with Gary Styn, MD, director of graduate anatomical sciences.
“The PT and PA Summer Institutes provided high school students with a meaningful glimpse into the dynamic and rewarding world of health care,” said Greg Ford, founding dean of the Scott Bieler College of Health Professions, noting that program faculty “may inspire the next generation of physical therapists and physician assistants.”
Animation Academy attendees could choose from a one- or two-week summer camp, taught by Disney animator and Associate Professor and Program Director of Animation, Mike Jones, to explore the world of hand-drawn animation and get an introduction to animating like the pros. 
“The high school students who attended this summer’s Animation Academy were excited to create animation art with industry standard software, drawing on Cintiqs. They took to the software and the Principles of Animation with excitement and fun,” said Jones. “I hope this camp further instilled their interest in animation and that we’ll be welcoming them into the animation program at Daemen in the near future.”