VCU Summer Camp in Philosophy
June 22 - 26, 2026
A day camp for high school students interested in asking big questions, learning about new perspectives and seeing the world in a new way
The camp is organized and led by faculty members from VCU’s Department of Philosophy, and is held in person at VCU’s beautiful Richmond campus.
Students will spend each day at camp digging into a diverse array of engaging activities that introduce them to the exciting world of philosophy. Students will play games, perform theatrical dialogues, create and share presentations, pose questions to expert guest speakers, race around VCU’s campus on a scavenger hunt, and make lifelong friends in deep conversations about timeless questions.
Here's how previous campers have described the camp in our anonymous end-of-week survey):
"Insanely amazing, you make great friends, counselors are outstanding, professors are wonderful, guest speakers are very interesting."
"This class has definitely de-mystified philosophy and hooked me on the topic."
"The camp was so fun, I learned so much and every day I left feeling smarter."
Theme: Justice
Some of the most pressing and urgent questions in our lives are questions about justice. In order to figure out how to live together in a way that’s decent and fair, we need to work to build communities and societies that are just. But how should we do that? What, in other words, does justice require?
Philosophical thinkers engage deeply with this question about the nature of justice, and about related questions like these:
- What kinds of wealth inequality (if any) are unjust?
- What does it mean for a community to be governed by the rule of law?
- What duties do we have to address historical injustice?
- What kinds of punishment—and what other responses to crime—are just?
- What are the connections between stereotyping, discrimination, and injustice?
The VCU Summer Camp in Philosophy in 2026 will be devoted to questions like these ones—questions, that is, about justice. Join us for an unforgettable week of mind-bending discussion about one of the central topics in ethics, political philosophy, and political theory.
Eligibility
VCU’s Summer Camp in Philosophy is open to any student who will be in high school (grades 9-12) in the 2026-2027 school year or who was in high school in the 2025-2026 school year. This usually means that eligible students will be between 14 and 19 years old. The camp organizers are committed to making the program available to all eligible students. Students with disabilities are welcome and encouraged to apply.
Tuition
Tuition is $325 per student and covers all the costs of instruction, materials and daily lunch. We believe financial need should not prevent any student from attending camp. Need-based financial aid, in the form of full scholarships, is available. Students can declare financial need in their online application form.
Application
To reserve a space on our camp's roster, please fill out the reservation form here.
Contact
James Fritz, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Philosophy
fritzj@vcu.edu
‘It’s a way of thinking’: VCU summer camp opens high school students’ eyes to philosophy
VCU News, 8/1/22
The VCU Summer Camp in Philosophy, held for the first time this year, saw high school students prepare presentations on ethics and moral philosophy around abortion, cloning, euthanasia, legalization of drugs, racism and more.
