By Dylan Taylor-Smith Schieffer School of Journalism
College can be traumatic. In fact, first year students go through an overwhelming number of changes and ordeals during their freshman year. But one program on campus serves to help new students combat fears, make connections and learn to balance all the elements of college life.
Frog Camp, a part of TCU’s First Year Experience program based in the Student Development Services office, serves to help transition students to college life. But in reality, Frog Camp serves many more relevant purposes: it helps students make friends before classes begin, discusses issues surrounding stereotypes, time management and college life, and challenges students to give each other the opportunity to enter college with a fresh start.
This summer, Frog Camp will also implement community service projects and opportunities at every camp. In the past, only two camps, Casa Nueva and Quest were community service-oriented, but this year, all four types of camps will have a community service element.
David Spencer, a director of community service for Frog Camp said, “We hope that by having community service at all camps we will be able to reach more first year students with the message that community service matters to us as a TCU community…it is something we hope all students adopt.”
At camp, campers, facilitators and faculty work together to improve and help the surrounding communities. Frog Camp not only builds relationships in the community, but it also builds relationships among students and faculty on the TCU campus.
Kelsey Brandon, a Frog Camp facilitator and junior communication studies major, said, “It is fun to get to know new people while participating in something bigger than yourself.”
“Community service at Frog Camp is important because it sets an example of the TCU mission statement on how incoming students can be ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community,” Brandon said. “Essentially, Frog Camp helps establish community for all its campers and staff.”
Beginning its 14th year, Frog Camp continues to be a strong program on the TCU campus, as it has previously been honored as an Outstanding Program at TCU. It provides staff members the opportunity to mentor and interact with incoming students, and Carrie Zimmerman, the director of the First-Year Experience, is a recipient of the Wassenich Award for Mentoring in the TCU Community.
With her help, Frog Camp has experienced rapid growth since 1999, when Carrie began working with the program. Last year, the program hosted 1,159 campers, 70 percent of the Class of 2010. The first Frog Camp in 1994 consisted of only 100 campers, and the program has grown each year since.
During the past 13 years, Frog Camp has offered seven different camps in places like Colorado, New Mexico and Fort Worth. Today, there are four types of camps, each with its own personality and dedicated following of campers, facilitators and faculty members. Many faculty members are some of Frog Camp’s biggest supporters, and most look forward to interacting with and meeting incoming students.
Steve Levering, a journalism instructor and five-year Frog Camp veteran, said, “Too often, students can get the idea that the student/faculty relationship is adversarial in nature. Frog Camp is a strong reminder that we're all on the same team.” The presence of faculty at camp is beneficial for incoming students, as they get to meet faculty members who are excited to be there and to greet them.
“It's an opportunity to spend 3-4 days playing and talking and having fun, and it refreshes my spirit as a faculty member,” Levering said. Levering’s favorite camp, Frog Camp Alpine, is located near Gunnison, Colorado in the Rocky Mountains.
Campers at Alpine participate in low-element and high-element ropes courses, and develop relationships over a five-day period that last throughout their college careers.
While Alpine may appeal to some students and faculty in particular, every camp offers something different and appeals to a wide array of students. The respective camp personalities draw numerous campers and faculty; there truly is a Frog Camp for everyone.
For more information about Frog Camp, to sign up for camp, or to apply to be a facilitator or faculty member, visit the Student Development Services Web site at www.sds.tcu.edu. Incoming students can register for Summer 2007 Frog Camp online at my.tcu.edu.
College can be traumatic. In fact, first year students go through an overwhelming number of changes and ordeals during their freshman year. But one program on campus serves to help new students combat fears, make connections and learn to balance all the elements of college life.