Next Camp: June 9-13, 2024
Sponsored by the Mississippi State University Department of Building Construction Science and Build Mississippi
The Mississippi State University ibuild Summer Camp is designed for students entering grades 9-12 to explore hands-on building activities with other students. Over the course of a week, students will build a small structure from start to finish. They will explore building design, architectural plan reading, hammering, soldering copper, concrete, roofing, electrical and much more – all with students their age and taught by certified professionals.
Eligibility
The Mississippi State University ibuild Summer Camp is designed for students entering grades 9-12 to explore hands-on building activities with other students.
Camp Cost
The total cost of the camp is $500. This includes a non-refundable deposit of $50.
The primary cost of the camp includes instruction by faculty and counselors, a T-shirt, supplies that the student will receive throughout the week, and university fees for health services, equipment, facilities, and libraries.
Upon notification of acceptance to the iBuild camp, the remaining $450 fee is due.
Scholarships
- Scholarships are available through Build Mississippi. To apply, email Bo Oswalt (boswalt@caad.msstate.edu) explaining why you want to attend the MSU ibuild Summer Camp. An announcement will be made once all scholarship applications are reviewed.
- Full scholarships are also available for students attending Mississippi public schools in Lee, Pontotoc and Union Counties through the Create Foundation’s Toyota Wellsprings Education Fund. Please contact us to inquire.
Room and Board
All campers must stay in MSU residence hall rooms. The residence halls will be supervised by the counselors who will be assisting throughout the week, as well as by trained MSU residence hall assistants. Roommate requests may be made at the time of application. No room assignment may be changed after 5 p.m., June 1.
Application and Deadlines
Call to see if space is still available. It will be first-come, first-served; space is limited.
Tentative Schedule
Sunday
- 3 p.m. - Registration at Howell Building
- 4:00 p.m. - Meet counselors and get settled in residence hall
- 5 p.m. - Dinner
- 6:30 p.m. - Community building activity in the Howell studios; ice cream social
- 9:00 p.m. - Return to residence hall
Monday
Understand: First build day, understand materials and processes, review safety procedures
- 8 a.m. - Breakfast
- 9 a.m. - Begin work at Howell studios
- 12 p.m. - Lunch break
- 1 p.m. - Resume work
- 4 p.m. - MSU activity
- 5 p.m. - Dinner
- 6 p.m. - MSU activity
- 9 p.m. - Return to residence hall
Tuesday
Create: Continue building, safely use hand tools
- 8 a.m. - Breakfast
- 9 a.m. - Begin work at Howell studios
- 12 p.m. - Lunch break
- 1 p.m. - Resume work
- 4 p.m. - MSU activity
- 5 p.m. - Dinner
- 6 p.m. - MSU activity
- 9 p.m. - Return to residence hall
Wednesday
Evaluate: Continue building, inspect, make plan to finish
- 8 a.m. - Breakfast
- 9 a.m. - Begin work at Howell studios
- 12 p.m. - Lunch break
- 1 p.m. - Resume work
- 4 p.m. - MSU activity
- 5 p.m. - Dinner
- 6 p.m. - MSU activity
- 9 p.m. - Return to residence hall
Thursday
Inspect/Communicate: Project inspection, evaluation
- 8 a.m. - Breakfast
- 9 a.m. - Project completion and cleanup
- 12 p.m. - Awards banquet, Howell Building
- 2 p.m. - Checkout
What to Pack
- Blue jeans or equal
- Closed-toe shoes
- Pillow, bed linens
- Towel
- Toiletries/hygiene
- Snacks, water bottle
- Spending money
- Pajamas
- Athletic wear
- Safety glasses*
- Work gloves*
*provided at camp
Additional Information
A maximum of 20 students are accepted per summer.
Campers will be divided into groups of four to build a small structure. Each group will be assigned one current MSU student and one construction industry professional. The industry professional will be hand-chosen by the camp organizer.
Five current MSU Building Construction Science students will serve as camp counselors. These students are hand-chosen by the program’s director and must undergo a background check based on MSU’s counselor policy. The camp counselors will be with the campers 24/7 with a counselor to camper ratio of 1:5.
The ibuild Construction Camp will conclude with the Awards Banquet honoring each camper’s achievements over the course of the week.
The camp cost includes the banquet lunch for each camper and two guests.
Camp Gallery
iBuild 2019
- Video
- Day 1: Tool safety and processes and framing
- Day 2: Framing, plumbing, and electrical
- Day 3: Exterior and finishing touches
- Day 4: Banquet
Camp News
For regular updates during the camp, visit us on Facebook.
MSState Building Construction Science on Facebook
Contact
Bo Oswalt, academic advisor
boswalt@caad.msstate.edu
662-325-0455