iCamp Summer Academy
Celebrating 10 Years of iCamp
iCamp Academy is a week-long residential summer media program hosted at West Chester University for high school students interested in digital storytelling, journalism, podcasting, and creative media. Now celebrating its 10th year, iCamp brings together students from Philadelphia and neighboring communities including Pottstown, Reading, and Norristown through its partnership with PA GEAR UP. Supported by the Rustin Urban Community Change Axis and faculty within West Chester University’s Interdisciplinary Media & Technology programs, iCamp empowers students to use digital media as a tool for storytelling, community engagement, and social impact while gaining hands-on experience, collaborating with peers and mentors, and exploring life on a college campus. Throughout the program, students develop technical and creative skills while producing meaningful projects that amplify their perspectives and encourage them to become thoughtful storytellers and changemakers.
For more information, visit the project website, follow us on Facebook, or Instagram.
ICamp Summer AcademyQuick Links
Experience iCamp in Action
Explore moments from past iCamp programs as students learn new media skills, collaborate with peers and mentors, and bring creative projects to life on West Chester University's campus.
Recent News
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WCU's iCamp Summer Media Academy Recognized with "Lindy" Award
West Chester University’s iCamp Summer Academy – a free media academy held at West Chester University for one week each summer – received recent recognition from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development (PHENND). The recognition comes in the form of a “Lindy” award.
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iCamp Spotlight Award
West Chester University’s Spotlight on Research is an opportunity to bring community awareness to the excellence of faculty research at WCU. The 2023 awardees were selected for the ways in which their research impacts student access, belonging, equity, diversity, inclusion, and success at WCU and in our surrounding community.
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National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Grant Recipient (2023–2025)
iCamp was proud to receive a $60,000 grant award from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) for the project Expanding iCAMP: Humanities Inquiry and Public Engagement. The grant supported a two-year initiative from June 1, 2023 through May 31, 2025, engaging underserved high school students in public digital humanities projects.
The NEH is an independent federal agency created in 1965 and is one of the largest funders of humanities programs in the United States. Through its grantmaking, the agency promotes excellence in the humanities and helps convey the lessons of history, culture, and civic engagement to all Americans.
NEH grants typically support cultural and educational institutions such as museums, archives, libraries, colleges, universities, public television and radio stations, and individual scholars. These grants help:
- Strengthen teaching and learning in schools and colleges
- Facilitate research and original scholarship
- Provide opportunities for lifelong learning
- Preserve and provide access to cultural and educational resources
- Strengthen the institutional base of the humanities
Through this funding, iCamp expanded opportunities for students to explore media-making, storytelling, digital humanities, and public engagement while developing skills that connect the humanities to real-world issues.
Award Amount: $60,000
Grant Period: June 1, 2023 – May 31, 2025 -
WCU’s iCamp 2025: Uplifting Student Voices Through Media, Mentorship, and Social Justice
launchpad for high school students from Philadelphia, helping them explore digital media, self-expression, and social justice, all while living and learning on a college campus.
From July 20 - 26, iCamp 2025 welcomed a new cohort of rising juniors and seniors to campus for a free, weeklong immersive experience in podcasting, game development, video production, and digital journalism. The program forged full steam ahead with community support, expert faculty, and the power of youth creativity behind it, despite a reduction in funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) this year.
