Summer at Alfred 2026, hosted by Alfred University, will provide a wide array of exciting activities, including arts-focused workshops and residencies, sports clinics, and engineering short courses. The program also offers a trio of pre-college courses designed to promote personal growth and mental well-being, serving to help prepare high school students for college.
“These programs don’t necessarily fit into the parameters of academia, but more of what you get out of college from the standpoint of providing a balance between personal well-being and academic pursuits,” Isaac Matson, pre-college programs coordinator at Alfred University, referring to three pre-college programs—Mindfulness and Meditation, Young Women’s Leadership, and Dungeons and Dragons. “They are all about helping students develop the skills that will help them thrive in college and after college.”
Lynn Petrillo, professor of English, will teach the Mindfulness and Meditation course, offered July 12-17. The program focuses on spirituality—with an emphasis on mindfulness and meditation—as a means for navigating through stress.
“Mindfulness and meditation provide a clear and comforting path through the mental stress—and distress—that so many young people—including many of my own AU students—are experiencing,” Petrillo said. “College is a major transition between dependence and interdependence, and the more tools students have to deal with the changes skillfully, the better they will be able to learn in their academic courses, engage in self-care that is balanced by care for others, and create an intentional future on a foundation of loving-kindness.”
Petrillo said her course will focus on accessing these practices through nature and art, movement and stillness, conversation and quiet.
“Mindfulness and meditation guide us to invaluable connections—connections with ourselves, our inner lives, the possibility of peace, and increased feelings of joy—and connections with our world—including each other,” Petrillo said. “Amid the division and violence traumatizing our present political and social realities, I believe it is not just helpful, but essential, that we learn how to be with each other, to support each other, to work and play and live together.”
In the Young Women’s Leadership Institute—taught by Abby Hurley, coordinator of the Beth Robinson Judson Leadership Center, and offered July 19-24—participants will learn about the intersections of gender, leadership, social change, and more. Topics will include, but are not limited to, feminism, the Social Change Model of Leadership Development, and leadership styles. This summer program provides an avenue for students to learn about themselves and begin developing as leaders.
“Leadership is such a vast subject matter and is so important for students to learn – whether they are in in high school and just starting to think about what’s next or if they are already in college,” Hurley said. “Leadership and our co-curricular experiences are what make us unique and help our students stand out to future employers. What you learn inside the classroom is just as important as what you learn outside of it. This is a great way to start exploring leadership and may help students engage in their communities or on their future campus.”
The Dungeons and Dragons pre-college program, offered July 12-17, is taught by Danielle Gagne, professor of psychology. The program is based on the popular cooperative tabletop role-playing game, Dungeons and Dragons, which is recognized as beneficial for mental health, offering a safe, creative space to build social connections, develop coping skills, reduce stress and anxiety, and process complex emotions like grief through character role-playing and collaborative storytelling.
Participants will explore the world of Dungeons and Dragons through the lens of psychology, according to the program description. “Guided by experienced Dungeon Masters, they’ll practice teamwork, problem-solving, and creativity while battling dragons, solving mysteries, and forging legendary friendships. Whether new to the game or a seasoned adventurer, every student will leave with new stories to tell and memories to treasure.”
Alfred Summer Arts 2026 features Summer Arts workshops in a variety of media designed for participants of all levels—including artists, educators, high school students, visiting professionals, and community members—as well as a number of pre-college art programs. Spend a day, a week, or an entire month immersed in hands-on experiences in our renowned studios and facilities working with our amazing faculty.
Specialized workshops will be offered on the coast of Maine, providing a unique opportunity to explore the landscape-inspired art. A three-week artist residency will be offered in studio facilities at Alfred University’s M.F.A. painting program in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Pre-College Programs provide students the opportunity to engage in a host of immersive learning experiences. Alfred University offers more than 25 pre-college programs and sports clinics, a variety that ensures that there is something of interest for every high school student. These programs provide unique opportunities for students to explore their passions and gain hands-on experience in state-of-the-art facilities with our faculty and coaches.
Alfred University offers a $100 discount off tuition for Summer at Alfred programs for students whose primary residence is within a 50-mile radius of Alfred, NY. The discount also applies to children of Alfred University alumni and returning students from any Pre-College Program at Alfred University.
For more details and information on Pre-College Programs, please contact Isaac Matson, Pre-College Programs coordinator, at [email protected]. For information on Summer Arts programs, please contact Faith Houy, administrative manager/coordinator of operations to the dean of School of Art & Design/Performing Arts Division, at [email protected].
