“Saint Mary’s has really shown me how to be not just an effective communicator, but a compassionate listener.”
Summer Programs Parent Information
Take a moment to browse this page to find helpful information and answers to our most frequently asked questions. You may also feel welcome to contact us at (574) 284-4778 or by email at camps@saintmarys.edu
COVID-19 Guidelines
Our first priority is to ensure the safety of our campers, our camp staff, and members of the Saint Mary’s Community. Based on guidance from the CDC, the State of Indiana, and Saint Joseph County, Saint Mary’s requires campers and their guests to comply with the following restrictions.
Vaccinations
COVID vaccine is strongly recommended, but not required for campers.
Pre-Arrival Testing
In order to minimize the risk of asymptomatic but positive campers joining us for the program, we strongly encourage campers to test within 24 hours before arriving on campus. Campers who present with COVID-like symptoms or who test positive should not attend camp.
Masking
Any camper is welcome to mask if they so choose. However, campers will be required to mask if they’ve been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, if they become symptomatic, or at the staff’s discretion.
Isolation
If a camper tests positive while at camp, the camper will be isolated under supervision and the parent/guardian will be contacted for immediate pick-up. No overnight isolation space is available at Saint Mary’s.
Other Information
Campers or their family members who have a fever or respiratory symptoms are respectfully asked not to come to campus. Saint Mary’s is taking all possible steps to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection. We believe that each camper and her family must educate themselves and make informed decisions. In order to attend camps at Saint Mary’s College, each camper and her family should self-monitor for COVID-like symptoms and must agree to the requirements listed above.
Gift Certificates & Sponsorships
Share the Gift of Camp
Our summer programs are a great gift to buy for the young women in your life. More information about purchasing a summer program gift can be found here.
Sponsor a Camper
Each year, we receive scholarship requests for our summer programs. If you are interested in either sponsoring a camper or contributing to our scholarship fund, please email us at camps@saintmarys.edu. Thank you for your consideration and contribution!
Scholarships, Expense Money, & Refunds
Scholarship Information
Early Registration discounts may be available for select summer camps. To see the cost associated with each of our programs and early-bird deadlines, please navigate to that specific summer program page.
We have a generous amount of scholarships available for the following summer programs:
- Fine Arts Day Camp
- Fine Arts Overnight Camp
- Girls on the Run Camp
- Spark Startup Day Camp
- Sports Exploration Camp
- Dialogue and Democracy Summer Institute
- Embody Theology Summer Institute
- Forensic Science Summer Institute
- Healthcare Summer Institute
- Spark Entrepreneurship Summer Institute
- Summer Music Intensives
We are unable to offer scholarships to our Intermediate/Advanced Volleyball and Tennis Camps because of the age range of these participants. Athletes between the grades 9-12 are not eligible for scholarships due to NCAA regulations. If you have any questions, please email us at camps@saintmarys.edu.
To be considered for financial assistance, please submit a scholarship application by June 1.
Our scholarship application can be found here.
Expense Money
Participants will be able to visit the bookstore during summer camp. For this reason, participants may bring additional money for incidentals or other purchases. All participants are responsible for their own money.
Refund Policy
All refund requests must be made in writing and will be considered by the staff in a timely manner.
Please note that all of our residential programs have a $100 non-refundable deposit and all of our day programs have a $50 non-refundable deposit.
After June 1, no refunds will be accepted.
Educators, Instructors, and Coaches
Saint Mary’s Summer Programs are led by educators, instructors, and coaches who provide professional and personal instruction. Summer program classes take place on the campus of Saint Mary’s College, in classrooms, laboratories, studios, and athletic fields.
Saint Mary’s College is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable experience. For this reason all staff members who participate in Saint Mary’s College Summer Programs have passed background checks, received Title IX training, and are trained by our Campus Safety Department.
Staying on Campus
During residential summer programs, participants live in the beautiful and historic residence halls on campus. Each residence hall is staffed with trained desk workers, counselors, and an overnight staff member to ensure a protected environment. This campus experience is a vital learning experience, especially for young girls considering college.
Residence halls are configured with double, triple, and quadruple rooms. Participants may request specific roommates when filling out their summer program registration form.
Please note that during check-out, rooms are inspected for damage. If damages are found, parents/guardians will be invoiced for the repairs and/or replacement items. If a camper loses her key, the parent/guardian will be charged a $30 replacement fee.
Travel Accommodations
Transportation to and from the South Bend Airport and Amtrak is available for an additional fee. Please contact us with questions about travel accomodations by June 1.* Please note that we do not provide housing or supervision of campers before or after our summer program sessions.
*Transportation is not available for Embody Summer Theology Institute
Dining Services
Saint Mary’s College provides professional and nutritious meals in the Noble Family Dining Hall. Participants are provided “all-you-care-to-eat” meals with a wide variety of menus. Dietary restrictions can be listed when filling out our consent forms and will be passed on to the campus food provider. Dining is brought to you by Saint Mary’s Dining Services, which is run by Notre Dame Dining.
All overnight participants receive breakfast, lunch, and dinner during their summer program sessions. Day campers will receive lunch and/or dinner depending on the program.
Health Services
Residential Camps
A camp nurse is available during all of our residential summer program sessions. Any prescription(s) and over-the-counter medications (including vitamins, antacids, pain relievers, etc.) that your particpant may take must be administered by one of the camp nurses. All of your participant’s health and medicine information will be collected once you've registered for camp.
When you check-in to your summer program session, nurse staff will be on site collecting any medication and/or prescriptions. During check-out, you will be able to collect any of your participant’s remaining medication. Any remaining unclaimed medications will be properly discarded.
If at any point during the summer program session a participant experiences an illness or injury, a nurse or camp staff member will contact the participant’s parent or guardian.
Day Camps
We are unable to administer medication and/or prescriptions to our day campers. Questions regarding this policy may be answered by the Summer Programs staff at camps@saintmarys.edu.
For athletic summer programs, a certified athletic trainer will be available to provide health care services including emergency care, injury prevention, injury evaluation, and proper referral. The athletic training staff can be reached at (574) 284-4335 with any questions or concerns.
Homesickness and Visiting
Homesickness may be an issue at camp, especially for participants who are away from home for the first time. Staff members have been trained to react to homesickness with compassion and sympathy. Counselors will help homesick participants focus on exciting rogram activities, making new friends, and embracing fun atmosphere of the summer program experience.
Each of our Saint Mary’s Summer Programs follow a “No Visiting” policy except in the event of an emergency. Please note that we will only release a participant to the specified individuals listed in the Pick-Up Permission form. All individuals will be asked to show proof of identification before releasing a participant to them.
Emergency situations can be reported to the Summer Program Office at (574) 284-4778.
Bad weather? No worries.
In the case of inclement weather, all outdoor camp activities will be altered as follows:
- Lightning: All activities are moved inside
- Tornado warning: Campers will be escorted inside to the sub-level building area. If campers are in a residence hall, they will be escorted to the lowest level of the building.
- Excessive heat: Outdoor participants will be instructed to take more water breaks and will be monitored by our camp staff.
Camp Rules
Saint Mary’s College strives to provide a positive and enriching experience for campers. To ensure a positive experience for all of our participants, The Office of Saint Mary’s Summer Programs has established the following rules:
- Participants are required to follow all instructions provided by program faculty, instructors, and staff.
- Participants must be respectful of others.
- Participants must respect the property of others.
- Participants must keep rooms clean and orderly.
- Participants are not permitted to leave their groups or Saint Mary’s College campus without staff supervision.
Any minor infraction will result in a verbal reprimand or warning from the Program Director. Serious infractions will result in a verbal warning and a parent/guardian will be notified by the Program Director. If infractions continue, campers may be expelled from the program.
Grounds for immediate expulsion may include, but are not limited to use of alcohol or drugs, activating fire alarms, theft, vandalism, or the use of any item that endangers an individual or College property.
Saint Mary’s College will not refund any fees for participants who are dismissed from the program for serious or repeated code of conduct violations