Video, Sports, and Cooking: 5 Interesting Summer Courses for High School Students 

Video production, sports management, cooking, and making an import.

These are just some of the wide-ranging subjects that rising juniors and seniors in high school can explore this summer in the Arthur M. Blank School Summer Program at Babson College, the No. 2 Best College in the United States, according to The Wall Street Journal.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: Apply by March 15 to secure preferred courses for the Blank School Summer Program.

Here are five more pre-college summer courses for high school students:

Storytelling, Video Production, and You

• Program faculty: Stephen McElroy, associate professor of rhetoric and composition and director of first-year writing program
• Course description: Learn to craft compelling stories and bring them to life through professional-quality video production. In this two-week course, you will practice interview techniques, narrative development, filming, and editing with Adobe Premiere. Week One activities will include discussing and practicing interview techniques, experimenting with video production techniques and conventions, developing a story vision, and planning for an interview shoot to be conducted over the weekend. Week Two activities will focus on transforming interview footage into an engaging story through editing in Adobe Premiere, test-screening with peer focus groups, and revising for impact. Students will produce a short film and premiere it at a watch party on the last day of class.
• If this course intrigues you, also consider … Writing Our Cultures/Writing Ourselves: Pop Culture, Identity, and Memoir, taught by Kristi Girdharry, associate teaching professor and director of the Writing Center at Babson
• Read more: A Bridge to Babson: Easing the Transition for First-Year Students

Sports Management

• Program faculty: Leslie Garbarino, associate professor, who teaches Sports Management: Professional Sports, as well as Good Company, Good Game, a collaboration with the Arthur M. Blank Family Businesses and AMB Sports + Entertainment.
• Course description: Big games and bigger business—step inside the world of sports beyond the field. In this immersive one-week summer course, students explore how professional sports leagues and college athletics actually operate, from big-money media deals to athlete negotiations and NIL (name, image, likeness) opportunities. Students will dive into the business of sports through group exercises, class discussion, and real-world scenarios drawn from leagues such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, and WNBA, as well as the NCAA.
• If this course intrigues you, also consider … Exploring Careers in Business and Healthcare, taught by Dr. Errol Norwitz, executive director, and Michele Bernier, associate director, both of the Kerry Murphy Healey Center for Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
• Read more: Career Advice and Insider Insights from the World of Sports

Cooking & Food Science

• Program faculty: Charles Winrich, associate teaching professor in the Mathematics, Analytics, Science, and Technology (MAST) Division, who teaches Socio-Ecological Systems, as well as Science and Technology of Cooking.
• Course description: This is science you can taste. This course invites students to explore the chemistry, biology, and physics behind everyday cooking. From understanding how gluten forms in baked goods to uncovering the reactions responsible for browning and flavor development, students connect core science concepts to the kitchen. Whether students love to cook, or are simply curious about food, this course connects core scientific principles to real foods and real kitchens.
• If this course intrigues you, also consider … Food Systems, Sustainability & Entrepreneurial Solutions, taught by Vikki Rodgers, professor of ecology and Babson’s Science Director; and David Blodgett, associate professor and chair of the MAST Division
• Read more: What the Future Demands of Today’s Classroom

Developing Your Inner Change Maker

• Program faculty: Emily Rosado-Solomon, assistant professor of management, and Shakenna Williams ’94, the executive director of the Frank & Eileen™ Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership
• Course description: Do you want to make change in your community—or beyond? In this interactive course, you’ll explore how to leverage your passions, strengths, and experiences to create meaningful impact. Through team activities, professional communication practice, and real-world discussions, you’ll develop your personal brand, build confidence, and learn how to turn your ideas into actionable next steps while connecting your strengths to the world around you.
• If this course intrigues you, also consider … Discover Your Why: Strengths, Purpose, and Entrepreneurial Thinking, taught by Diana Hechavarria, professor of entrepreneurship and the faculty director of the Diana International Research Institute at the Frank and Eileen™ Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership
• Read more: A Salute to Service: How Babson Students Give Back to the Community

Living with Algorithms: Social Media, AI, and Society

• Program faculty: Xinghua Li, associate professor of media studies in the History & Society Division, who teaches courses on critical media theory, consumer culture, and environmental sustainability.
• Course description: Social media and artificial intelligence shape nearly every aspect of modern life, but how well do we really understand them? In this intensive two-week course, students will use insights from media studies to explore how digital platforms and AI systems influence identity, relationships, politics, labor, and the environment. Through discussion, short lectures, and real-world case studies, students learn to question technologies they often take for granted and to think critically about their ethical and social consequences. Ideal for students seeking a rigorous, thought-provoking introduction to college-level media studies.
• If this course intrigues you, also consider … Foundations of AI: Leveraging Big Data to Discover Patterns and Make Predictions, taught by Benjamin Levy, associate professor and applied mathematician
• Read more: How Student Teams Used AI to Tackle Real-World Problems at One-Day Buildathon

More Summer at Babson

• Want to Be an Entrepreneur? Try These 5 Summer Courses for High School Students
• Want to Study Business and Finance? Try These 5 Summer Courses for High School Students
• Summer at Babson Introduces New Opportunities for High School and Babson Students
• An Entrepreneurial Summer: How Babson Impacts Communities Year-Round
• Why Is Babson No. 1 for Entrepreneurship? Here Are 30 Reasons