From June 22-26, Western New England University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is welcome approximately 45 middle and high school students to campus for Golden Bear Summer Camp, a free, week-long health sciences career exploration program designed to introduce young people to the many pathways available in healthcare and related fields.
Funded by the Massachusetts Health Council, Golden Bear Summer Camp gives students early exposure to health sciences through hands-on experiences in WNE’s teaching laboratories, patient care activities, team-based problem-solving, and direct interaction with faculty, healthcare professionals, community organizations, and workforce partners.
This year’s camp is expected to include 15 Junior Golden Bear campers for middle school students and 30 Golden Bear campers for high school students.
New this year, WNE is partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western Massachusetts and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Massachusetts/MetroWest to launch the Big Futures Healthcare Workforce and Community Connections Series. The series is designed to help students learn more about healthcare and biotech careers while also building connections with mentors, local leaders, employers, and community-based organizations.
As part of the series, students will participate in a Small Business & Community Fair on Tuesday, June 23, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., and a Healthcare & Biotech Career Exploration Event on Friday, June 26, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Throughout the week, campers will explore the many ways health sciences connect to community well-being, workforce development, patient care, biotechnology, leadership, and service. The goal is to help students discover careers they may not have previously considered while giving them meaningful exposure to college-level learning and professional pathways.
The program is also growing into something larger than a one-week summer camp. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western Massachusetts has secured funding to officially launch a site-based mentoring program with Duggan Middle School through WNE’s Cub Connections Program during the upcoming academic year. That initiative will complement the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences’ weekly Roots of Wellness sessions, which began last year, and will allow participating students to stay connected with mentors, faculty, and health sciences programming throughout the year.
The expanded programming reflects WNE’s commitment to building a longer-term continuum of engagement, mentorship, and career exploration for young students across the region. With support from faculty and staff involved in grant writing, program development, and community partnership building, Golden Bear Summer Camp is becoming one part of a broader effort to strengthen educational access, introduce students to high-demand careers, and support the region’s future healthcare workforce.
The program’s long-term impact is already visible. WNE has documented several students who were first introduced to healthcare careers through Golden Bear Summer Camp and later enrolled in and graduated from the University’s Doctor of Pharmacy program. One of those graduates spoke about the program during his hooding ceremony address this year, and WNE’s PharmD student intern this summer is also a former Golden Bear camper.
For the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, those stories reflect the purpose of the program: helping students see themselves in healthcare, supporting them along the way, and creating pathways that can lead from early exploration to professional education and meaningful careers.
Golden Bear Summer Camp continues to demonstrate how university-community partnerships can open doors for students, strengthen mentorship, and inspire the next generation of healthcare professionals.
