MACON, Ga. – Mercer University's Thomas B. and Ramona E. McDonald Center for America's Founding Principles is inviting high school juniors and sophomores to apply for its summer program, July 13-18, exploring the University's innovative Great Books Program.
The summer program, which was previously held in 2011 and 2012, is based on the Great Books Program, a seven-course sequence that encourages reading and discussion of some of the great works of Western Civilization and serves as an optional general education track for the College of Liberal Arts, School of Engineering and Tift College of Education.
The program will bring together bright and inquisitive college-bound students with some of Mercer's outstanding Great Books faculty for an enriching, unique and exciting educational experience. Together, they will explore classic texts, from Plato to Shakespeare, that address some of the most enduring human questions and problems.
Participants will stay at the University's historic campus in Macon, Ga., for five days and nights. Each day, students will participate in at least three, 75-minute seminars, where they will engage in an extended discussion about their reading with Mercer faculty. Each evening, supervised recreation will include films, skits and games that keep the conversation going.
The cost is $525, which includes room and board on campus and supervised recreational activities, as well as personal copies of all program readings. Additionally, participants will gain the academic advantage that comes with college-level teaching and discussion, as well as the opportunity to meet other college-bound students who love to read and think.
High school juniors and sophomores are encouraged to apply by the deadline of May 2.
Applications may be submitted by mail to Dr. Will Jordan, Department of Political Science, Mercer University, 1400 Coleman Ave., Macon, GA 31207; or by email to jordan_wr@mercer.edu.
To download an application or for more information, click here.
About the Thomas C. and Ramona E. McDonald Center
The Thomas C. and Ramona E. McDonald Center for America's Founding Principles exists to supplement Mercer University's excellent liberal arts program with a redoubled commitment to the foundational texts and ideas that have shaped Western Civilization and the American political order. This focus on the core texts of the Western tradition helps to revitalize a cross-centuries dialogue about citizenship, human rights, and political, economic and religious freedom, thereby deepening the moral imagination and fostering civic and cultural literacy.
The McDonald Center's programming includes an annual lecture series, high school teacher workshops, post-doctoral teaching fellowships and undergraduate research fellowships. All programming is designed to enhance Mercer's longstanding role as a distinctive home of liberal learning, a place where serious students come to live the life of the mind and emerge more thoughtful and engaged citizens.
