LSU Social Research & Evaluation Center to Host Free Summer Camp for High School Students
October 08, 2026
BATON ROUGE, LA — LSU Social Research & Evaluation Center will host the second Shaping Futures: Mental Health Leaders of Tomorrow, a mental health workforce program that will expose rising high school juniors and seniors around Louisiana to careers in mental health.
There are two phases to Shaping Futures:
Pre-Immersion Phase
February - May 2027
- Virtual sessions with professional modules
- Introduction to mental and behavioral health fields
- Overview of higher education pathways and expectations
- Career exploration and goal setting
- Preparation for the Summer Immersive Experience
Summer Immersive Experience
Session I: June 6 - 10, 2027
Session II: June 13 - 17, 2027
The immersive experience provides intensive exposure to mental and behavioral health careers through hands-on learning, structured activities and mentorship.
Participants will attend one session.
The five-day, immersive experience will take place on LSU’s campus where students will connect with professionals, explore different career paths and take in the LSU experience. Students will engage in:
- Career exploration in mental and behavioral health
- Mentorship from professionals & college students in the field
- College and career readiness activities
- Exposure to a variety of mental health career pathways
- Hands-on learning, workshops, professional panels & activities
SREC is currently recruiting 200 students for the summer 2027 Shaping Futures cohort. The application deadline is November 13, 2026. For more information, please contact shapingfutures@lsu.edu.
About the LSU Social Research & Evaluation Center
The LSU Social Research & Evaluation Center, or SREC, advances social initiatives
to improve the lives of individuals, families, and their communities through our research,
evaluation, and partnerships. SREC’s interdisciplinary team of expert faculty and
staff work in projects among four areas of impact: strengthening communities, education,
public safety, and health and wellbeing. SREC is a research center of excellence in
the LSU College of Human Sciences & Education.