Download Word Document of FAQ
What time should I arrive on Sunday, July 13? What time should I depart on Saturday, July 26?
Where can I stay if I need to spend the night in Indiana during my travel time?
What if I’m flying, when should my flight arrive and depart? Will there be a shuttle service to and from the airport?
Will there be laundry machines available?
Should I bring spending money? How much?
Will I be sharing a room? What are the rooms like?
Is there anything I cannot bring?
How are genders split up in the dorm?
What should I pack?
Will I need anything for my class? Lab goggles? Textbooks?
Will there be homework?
How will I do my homework?
What is the library like? Will I have time to use it?
Will there be any chance to practice my instrument?
Who are the counselors? Are they nice? Are they smart? Can we trust them?
Where will the other students be coming from? How many are there in the program?
Will I be able to check my email? Post on my blog? Check up on Facebook?
What are we doing the weekend in between the school weeks?
Will there be free time?
Are there options for attending religious services during the program?
Will I be able to work out? What kind of gym facilities are there? Sports complex?
Since I am a heavy coffee drinker, will I be able to get coffee in the morning? Evening? Noontime?
Will there be opportunity to have a college interview with someone from the Honors College?
What happens if I get sick? Injured?
How do I contact you? What about during the program?
Is there a dress code? What is it?
What time should I arrive on Sunday, July 13? What time should I depart on Saturday, July 26?
Students may check in to Whitmyre Hall on Sunday, July 13 between 3pm and 5pm. Please DO NOT arrive to check-in early or late. That creates chaos in the universe. (No, seriously, DO NOT arrive early.) Parents will meet with Assistant Director Ryan Rearick at 5pm in the Great Hall for a presentation on the program and to clarify expectations for students and answer parent questions.
There is a closing brunch to celebrate the students’ achievements in the program on Saturday, July 26. It will be held in the Crimson Event Center in Folger Hall from 10am to noon, and family members are invited to attend. Check-out will be in Whitmyre Hall from 12:30-2:00pm.
Driving Directions
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Where can I stay if I need to spend the night in Indiana during my travel time?
Hotel/Bed and Breakfast Information
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What if I’m flying, when should my flight arrive and depart? Will there be a shuttle service to and from the airport?
A van will drive down to the airport to pick up students on July 13, and to drop them off on July 26. Flights into Pittsburgh International Airport should arrive NO LATER than 1:00pm on July 13. Flights out should depart NO EARLIER than 6:00pm on July 26. If you are flying, you MUST contact program coordinator Mara Iverson with your flight plans and cell phone number (if available). We will give students the cell phone numbers of the counselors driving the shuttle.
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Will there be laundry machines available?
There are washers and dryers available for student use in the basement of Whitmyre Hall. In order to operate the machines you will need to bring a few extra dollars as each load is $1.35. The machines are I-Card operated, so do NOT bring ten dollars in quarters for the machines. You simply put money on the I-card computer chip via another machine and use the declining balance for laundry. If this seems confusing simply ask a counselor to help you while you’re here. *You will need to provide your own detergent and fabric softener.
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Should I bring spending money? How much?
That is up to you. You can easily get by with zero spending money. That does, however, mean you won’t be able to buy things at Wal Mart, coffee shops, music shops, the IUP store, the (tiny) mall, or local eateries. While your meals are all paid for, some students in the past have been creative and ambitious enough to cook for themselves. (There is a kitchen in Whitmyre for such an activity). Basically, a nice amount of money could range from $15 for laundry and one meal, to $60 or more so that you can have coffee every day, buy a new album, and get something from IUP for your family.
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Will I be sharing a room? What are the rooms like?
Yes. You will be sharing a room with one other person of the same gender. Each room has 2 beds, 2 desks, 2 dressers, and 2 closets. Bathrooms are located centrally on the floors. You may bring fans but WHITMYRE IS AIR CONDITIONED this year!!!! So you might want a sweater.
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Is there anything I cannot bring?
You may NOT bring large appliances such as microwaves or refrigerators. You must follow the student expectations you signed. If you have any further questions, call the Honors College in advance at 1-800-487-9122.
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How are genders split up in the dorm?
Women will be on the 3rd floor of Whitmyre Hall. Men will be on the 2nd floor of Whitmyre Hall. Counselors of corresponding genders will also be living on the floors with the students.
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What should I pack?
We have created a packing list, it contains everything you might need to bring, but if you have additional questions you can email Mara, the program coordinator/head counselor, at m.m.iverson@iup.edu
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Will I need anything for my class? Lab goggles? Textbooks?
We will contact you the week before the program begins to let you know what you will need for your class. If you are in the chemistry or biochemistry class, we can tell you right now you will need lab goggles. If you don’t have any, there will be opportunity to buy them after you arrive.
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Will there be homework?
YES there will absolutely be homework. You are expected to complete it, putting forth your best effort. You classes are being taught by university professors, all of whom either hold a Ph.D. or are currently completing one. You cannot get the most out of the class if you do not do the homework assigned to you. You will be given plenty of time each evening to complete assignments, and counselors are available for homework assistance.
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How will I do my homework?
There will be scheduled time available to go to the computer labs if your homework requires a computer. You can also use a personal laptop and take the file to the computer lab on a jump drive. There are printers, copiers, scanners, and anything else you will need to do your homework.
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What is the library like? Will I have time to use it?
The library is great. There is a large selection of works ranging from academic to fiction, from adventure to instructional. There will be time nearly every day when students will be able to use the library.
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Will there be any chance to practice my instrument?
Yes. There will be free time in the evenings during which you may choose to practice, and there is a sound proof booth for practicing in the basement of Whitmyre.
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Who are the counselors? Are they nice? Are they smart? Can we trust them?
A list of the counselors and a brief bio about each of them, including which classes they will advise, is located on the main page of the SHP website. They are all current students in the Honors College at IUP. Each of them has made it through a rigorous selection process to be chosen as a counselor for the program. They are here to advise, guide, and otherwise assist you with anything that you need. And yes, they are nice, smart, and trustworthy. And good-looking.
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Where will the other students be coming from? How many are there in the program?
The 120 students coming to SHP are from all over the United States. The majority of students are from Pennsylvania and neighboring states like Ohio and New York, but we have students coming from as far as Florida, Texas, Colorado and Oklahoma as well.
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Will I be able to check my email? Post on my blog? Check up on Facebook?
You will have access to the internet at the computer labs around campus. You can bring your own laptop if you like, but we remind students that IUP and SHP cannot be held responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen items. We do not recommend bringing a desktop computer. Also, there will not be internet access in individual rooms.
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What are we doing the weekend in between the school weeks?
Plenty of resting and relaxing! SHP is an intense program, and we like to give students and counselors a chance to recuperate during the weekend. Saturday morning IUP is offering an Expo. Students can choose to participate in this if they like, but it is not mandatory. During this expo you will have a chance to check out tables sponsored by all of the departments, both academic and student affairs related, on campus. It is an excellent opportunity to get to know more about options available at IUP, and it’s a good idea to go to it and come back armed with questions for your counselors so that you can be savvier in your upcoming college search.
Saturday afternoon we will go to nearby Mack Park. The program will supply bag lunches to eat at the park. There is playground equipment at the park as well as plenty of shady space for lounging, reading, guitar playing, etc. You are also encouraged to bring any sports equipment that you have as there is plenty of space to play and several sports fields are available. Mack Park also has an outdoor pool that you are welcome to use for the $5 cost of admission.
Sunday will be mostly for catching up on sleep and homework. Students may return to Mack Park with some counselors in the afternoon if they choose to do so, but it will not be mandatory for all students.
Meals and residence service continue to be provided over the weekend. No students may leave campus for an extended period during the weekend unless permission for exceptional circumstances is gained from Mara Iverson, program coordinator.
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Will there be free time?
Yes. During this free time you can explore campus, or (with a counselor) the town of Indiana. There will also be scheduled time for fun activities and exploration.
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Are there options for attending religious services during the program?
Yes. Indiana is home to a wide variety of spiritual and religious organizations and congregations. Students may attend service at any of the local organizations if accompanied by a counselor. If your particular spiritual preference or faith requires observances during the week or at a particular time, arrangements can be made for you. Please do not hesitate to ask if you would like to visit any local synagogue, mosque, church, etc or if you would like to know if there is a place that represents your spiritual needs in Indiana. No student is required to attend services of any kind if they do not wish to.
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Will I be able to work out? What kind of gym facilities are there? Sports complex?
There are many fitness options available to you at IUP. The HUB fitness center has handball, wally ball, and racket ball courts. (You may need to bring your own equipment.) It also has a weight training area with extensive free weights and machines, as well as a cardio area equipped with ellipticals, treadmills, stationary bicycles, etc.
The Memorial Field house has a basketball court and there is also a court located outside of Whitmyre Hall. Zink Hall has an indoor swimming pool and additional weight training facilities. The track and field are also available for use as are the tennis courts. We cannot, however, promise to provide any equipment. If you want to bring tennis/racket ball rackets, sports ball, Frisbees, baseball mitts, etc. you will be welcome to use them at any of the facilities on campus and during our weekend trip to Mack Park, which also has an outdoor pool for a cost of $5.
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Since I am a heavy coffee drinker, will I be able to get coffee in the morning? Evening? Noontime?
Yes! There are several places to get good coffee on campus and off campus. Of course, to go off campus you will need a counselor (but many of us like coffee too!).
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Will there be opportunity to have a college interview with someone from the Honors College?
Yes. We will give you more details on this during the first day of the program.
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What happens if I get sick? Injured?
If you get sick or injured while you are at SHP you will be covered by the IUP Camps and Conferences policy, including the Medical Authorization form your parent/guardian signed. This means, practically, that you will be able to use the Pechan Health Center services, and in extreme cases, may need to go to Indiana Regional Hospital. In past years we have not had more than the occasional sickness or injury. These have usually been resolved with minimal hassle, and students staying for the full two weeks of the program.
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How do I contact you? What about during the program?
You can call the office at 1-800-487-9122 or 724-357-4971 between 8:00am and 4:30pm during the week. You can also email program coordinator Mara Iverson at m.m.iverson@iup.edu.
On the first day of the program all the counselors (especially Mara) will be rather busy. We will, however, be available at the 724 number listed above.
Throughout the two weeks of the program, if parents have any questions, you can feel free to email Mara. She checks her email surprisingly often, so you should have no problem contacting her that way.
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Is there a dress code? What is it?
Generally decent and respectable clothing is expected of all students. At the awards ceremony the dress code is business casual. For those in a science class (Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Forensics) you will be required to weard long pants-Jeans are fine-and closed-toed shoes-sneakers are fine-during your class time. Everything else you may need to bring to wear can be found on the packing list.
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