Campus Life

West Virginia Wesleyan College's tree-shaded campus is one of the most beautiful colleges in the East and is the site of many conferences every summer. The campus is arranged such that the dorms, dining hall, classrooms, gym, library, and playing fields are all within a few minutes' walk from each other.

Classes

Students are in class from 9:00 A.M. to noon and from 1:00 to 4:00 P.M. There is a supervised study hall where part of the assignments are completed each evening from 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. Lights out in the dorm is 11:00 P.M. following a quiet time from 10:00 to 11:00 P.M.

Day campers are encouraged to participate in the evening activities before heading home for the night.

Click here for a Sample Weekday Schedule

Supplies: In addition to paper and pens/pencils, we recommend that your child bring a calculator and a backpack.  If your student would like to bring a laptop computer or ipad, that is fine, but the Wesleyan Summer Gifted Program is not responsible for these items.  

Smartphones: We recognize that prying the smartphone from your child's hand might cause broken bones (yours, not theirs) and so we have learned to deal with them in class.  Some faculty prefer that the smartphones stay off and in the backpack while other faculty allow their use for specific classroom exercises.  We would appreciate if you have a discussion with your child about smartphones and courtesy before the start of camp.

Dorms

Students are supervised in the dorm by college-age counselors who are selected on the basis of academic and leadership skills, and are directly responsible to the Administrator and Director.

Students will be housed in Fleming residence hall. They are paired with age-mates and the boys and the girls are on separate floors.  The residence hall is air conditioned. Students may bring fans, but it is not necessary to bring them. There are laundry machines in the residence halls for $1.25/load, payable by quarters or credit/debit card.

Students may also bring refrigerators, and a small amount of food. 

For the Musically Inclined

Practice Rooms are located across campus in Loar Hall, if students would like to bring a musical instrument to practice, or need a stage to prepare for the talent show. Pianos are available on the lower floor.

Creativity

The creative process is stressed both directly and indirectly in our program.  We often invite guests from the community to share their work with our students.  During recent years, a variety of artists, including poets, film producers, water-colorists, musicians, and potters have all made presentations.  We place a spotlight on student creativity with a talent show on the last evening of the program.

Safety, Security, and Health

Student safety, security and health are our first priority.  The city of Buckhannon, WV has a population of about 5500 and crime rates are very low in this rural setting.  Campus security officers are available 24 hours a day and conduct regular rounds. Students are always accompanied by a counselor or staff member on and off campus.  Our staff, faculty, and counselors have all passed background checks and our counselors are certified in first aid, including CPR training.  The Campus health center is staffed by nurses and in the event of a medical emergency, the local hospital is only one mile away.

Because West Virginia Wesleyan College is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, we also adhere to the "Safe Sanctuary" Policy developed by the West Virginia Conference of the UMC.  This policy sets standards for the supervision of children, permission and liability release forms, cyber safety, and all activities involving children.

Food Allergies:  Several campers each year have food allergies.  Our dining hall Executive Chef works with each family to ensure that foods containing allergens are clearly marked or not served at all if a child has a particularly strong allergy.

Bullying: We have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to bullying.  In addition to being standard awkward teens, our students are also nerdy and have typically experienced bullying at home.  Our program is meant to be a safe place where awkward, nerdy teens can revel in being who they are. Bullying and disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated.