IU Northwest’s free Kids College returns June 9–20

By: Indiana University Northwest Last Updated: April 23, 2025

Inspiring middle school students through creative exploration, leadership and career discovery

Indiana University Northwest proudly announces the return of Kids College, a dynamic two-week, on-campus summer enrichment program designed to inspire and empower middle school students—especially those from historically underrepresented and low-income backgrounds.

Kids College 2025 will run June 9 – 20, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be no class on Thursday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth National Independence Day.

With the theme “My Story. My Voice.”, students will gain confidence, build leadership skills and express their creativity while exploring future career paths in a supportive, engaging environment.
Participants will choose one of six “majors,” led by IU Northwest faculty, staff, students and local community partners:

Medicine – Engage in hands-on science lab activities, learn essential first aid skills and design a new solution for issues in the healthcare industry with ideas presented to a panel simulating a medical invention conference.
Visual Arts – Tour campus galleries and learn the art of painting and pottery, while also creating a mixed-media self-portrait to express one’s personality, interests and values. Student will write an artist statement to explain their creative choices and will present their work in a gallery-style exhibition.
Performing Arts – Go behind the scenes of the campus’s theater program, with lessons in lighting, sound, music therapy, singing and more. Students will design a poster to promote their talent and upcoming performance in a live “My Voice: A Kids College Talent Show” competition.
Technology – Learn the basics of app and game development and explore 3-D printing technology. Students will design a new piece of technology to help solve a real-world problem and present their invention to a panel simulating a tech start-up pitch.
Civic Leadership – Design a campaign aimed at addressing or resolving real-world issues. Students will present their ideas to a panel simulating a city council meeting.
Business – Develop a start-up business idea and pitch it to a mock panel simulating a “Shark Tank”-style competition.

Students will also spend two days participating in Best Buy’s Geek Squad Academy, gaining valuable tech and digital literacy skills.

Pathways to College: The 21st Century Scholars Program

A key component of Kids College is connecting families with the 21st Century Scholars Program, a statewide initiative that provides up to four years of undergraduate college tuition and support to income-eligible Indiana students.

During the camp, students will learn about the 21^st Century Scholars Program, as well as be mentored by current IU Northwest students, who will offer insights into the college experience and strategies for success. Families will also be invited to learn more about the 21^st Century Scholars Program.

Eligibility & Registration

Capacity is limited to 70 students on a first-come, first-serve basis who meet the eligibility requirements: students receiving free/reduced lunch who are enrolling in the sixth, seventh or eighth grades at the start of the fall 2025 academic year.

Kids College is funded by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its initiative, Indiana Youth Programs on Campus. The purpose of the grant is to “help address Indiana’s unacceptably low rankings in the percentage of its adult population with a bachelor’s degree or a meaningful postsecondary credential and to help increase the higher education enrollment and success of traditionally underserved students, including students of color, first generation college students, and students from families with limited resources.”

If you have additional questions, contact the IU Northwest Kids College team at kciun@iu.edu or 219-980-7299.