Sunday, July 19 – Saturday, July 25, 2026
Location numbers that correspond with the Campus Map are noted after the location name.
| Sunday, July 19 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Noon – 3:00 p.m. | Check-In: Students check in with Undergraduate Admissions and move into their rooms. | Nemerov House (#321) |
| 1:30 – 2:15 p.m. | Student and Family Orientation 1: Orientation will include important information related to student and community expectations, emergency preparedness, final day and move-out logistics, and more. | Room 1, Simon Hall (#168) |
| 2:30 – 3:15 p.m. | Student and Family Orientation 2: Orientation will include important information related to student and community expectations, emergency preparedness, final day and move-out logistics, and more. | Room 1, Simon Hall (#168) |
| 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. | Getting Settled: Unpack your belongings, meet your roommate, relax, and get comfortable in your residential space. Parents and guests will be asked to leave campus by 4:00 p.m. | Nemerov House (#321) |
| 4:15 – 5:00 p.m. | Walking Time & Icebreakers: Meet outside Nemerov House as a group with your Rural Peer Ambassadors (RPAs), get to know your peers, and walk to dinner. | Nemerov House (#321) |
| 5:00 – 6:15 p.m. | Welcome Dinner: Enjoy an opening dinner with your fellow WashU Rural Scholars Academy participants, RPAs, Admissions Officers, and Undergraduate Admissions & Financial Aid leadership. | Risa Commons (#163) |
| 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. | Peer Mentor Meeting 1: Get to know your RPA and small group peers as you learn more about the upcoming schedule, rules for the week, and other important information. | Room 1, 018, 020, 021, 022, and 023, Simon Hall (#168) |
| 7:30 – 8:15 p.m. | Twilight Campus Tour: Explore campus on a tour given by a current student. | Depart from Umrath Lounge (#177) |
| 8:30 – 9:30 p.m. | Ice Cream Get-Together: Decompress, have an ice cream sandwich, and hang out with your fellow Academy participants and RPAs! | Nemerov House (#321) |
| 10:30 – 11:00 p.m. | Settling in for the Night: Wind down from an exciting first day and be in your rooms by 11:00 p.m. for curfew. | Nemerov House (#321) |
| Monday, July 20 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 8:30 – 9:45 a.m. | Breakfast: Use your meal card to eat breakfast on campus! An RPA will meet you outside Nemerov House at 8:30 a.m. to walk to the Danforth University Center (DUC), show you how to use your meal card, and answer any questions. | Danforth University Center (#125) |
| 9:45 – 10:00 a.m. | Travel to Academic Experience: A staff member will walk you to the location of the Academic Experience. | Depart from Tisch Commons in the Danforth University Center (#125) |
| 10:00 a.m. – Noon | College of Arts & Sciences Academic Experience: You’ll hear an overview of the College of Arts & Sciences, followed by a quick round of speed lectures, and close with an Essay Writing Workshop given by the WashU Writing Center. | Room 203, Rudolph Hall (#164) |
| Noon – 12:15 p.m. | Travel to lunch: A staff member will walk you to lunch in the Danforth University Center (DUC). | |
| 12:15 – 1:30 p.m. | Lunch: Use your meal card to eat lunch on campus! A staff member will be present to answer any questions. | Danforth University Center (#125) |
| 1:45 – 3:00 p.m. | College Admissions Seminar 1: Meet your Admissions Officer, interact with your peers, and learn about the Academy case study project. | Rooms 207, 210, and 211, Eads Hall (#127) |
| 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. | Free Time: Use this time to decompress, call your parents/family, enjoy the fresh air, or connect with your peers! We also suggest you go shopping at the Campus Bookstore! | |
| 5:00 – 5:15 p.m. | Travel to Dinner: A staff member will walk you from Nemerov House to dinner in the Danforth University Center (DUC). | Nemerov House (#321) |
| 5:15 – 6:30 p.m. | Dinner: Use your meal card to eat dinner on campus. | Danforth University Center (#125) |
| 6:30 – 7:45 p.m. | Small Group Photo Walk: You’ll split into small groups and capture photos of some of the most iconic spaces on WashU’s campus while being led by an RPA. | Depart from Danforth University Center (#125) |
| 7:45 – 8:45 p.m. | Team Time: As a team, begin working on the case study project. Your RPA will be present to answer any questions. | Various rooms, Nemerov House (#321) |
| 8:45 – 10:00 p.m. | Game Night: Enjoy a relaxed evening of board games, recreational activities, candy, popcorn, and community as you and your peers commemorate your first full day together. | Risa Commons (#163) |
| 10:30 – 11:00 p.m. | Settling in for the Night: Wind down from an exciting second day and be in your rooms by 11:00 p.m. for curfew. | Nemerov House (#321) |
| Tuesday, July 21 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 8:30 – 9:45 a.m. | Breakfast: Use your meal card to eat breakfast on campus. An RPA will meet you outside Nemerov House at 8:30 a.m. to walk to the Danforth University Center (DUC), show you how to use your meal card, and answer any questions. | Danforth University Center (#125) |
| 9:45 – 10:00 a.m. | Travel to Academic Experience: A staff member will walk you to the location of the Academic Experience. | Depart from Tisch Commons in the Danforth University Center (#125) |
| 10:00 a.m. – Noon | Olin Business School Academic Experience: You’ll hear an overview of the Olin Business School, followed by an interactive activity with our Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship. | Room 1, Simon Hall (#168) |
| 12:15 – 1:30 p.m. | Lunch: Use your meal card to eat lunch on campus! A staff member will be present to answer any questions. Moving forward, staff members will no longer be present during mealtimes. | Danforth University Center (#125) |
| 1:40 – 3:00 p.m. | College Admissions Seminar 2: Learn about the highly selective admissions process and how to start your college search. | Rooms 201, 204, and 206, Crow Hall (#121) |
| 3:10 – 3:40 p.m. | Peer Mentor Meeting 2: Meet with your cohort as your RPA shares their college admissions journey and tips they learned along the way. | Rooms 110, 130, 200, 270, 300, and 370, Hillman Hall (#139) |
| 3:40 – 5:00 p.m. | Free Time: Use this time to decompress, call your parents/family, enjoy the fresh air, or connect with your peers! | |
| 5:00 – 6:15 p.m. | Dinner: Use your meal card to eat dinner on campus. | Danforth University Center (#125) |
| 6:15 – 10:30 p.m. | Merriment at Main Event: Travel to Main Event to enjoy bowling, billiards, shuffleboard, laser tag, gravity ropes, and arcade games! | Main Event Chesterfield |
| 10:30 – 11:00 p.m. | Settling in for the Night: Wind down from an exciting third day and be in your rooms by 11:00 p.m. for curfew. | Nemerov House (#321) |
| Wednesday, July 22 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 8:15 – 9:15 a.m. | Breakfast: Use your meal card to eat breakfast on campus. | Danforth University Center (#125) |
| 9:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m. | Saint Louis Zoo: Join your RPAs and peers for a fun morning and lunch at the Saint Louis Zoo, voted one of America’s best zoos by USA Today! | Bus departs from the Alumni House Parking Lot (#103) |
| 2:00 – 3:45 p.m. | Free Time | |
| 4:00 – 5:15 p.m. | College Admissions Seminar 3: Learn more about the parts of an application, including the essay, recommendation letters, transcript, and more. | Rooms 201, 204, and 206, Crow Hall (#121) |
| 5:15 – 6:45 p.m. | Dinner: Use your meal card to eat dinner on campus. | Danforth University Center (#125) |
| 6:45 – 8:15 p.m. | Meet Your Admissions Officers/Free Time: If scheduled for your meeting with a WashU Admissions Officer, head to the Sumers Welcome Center 15 minutes before your scheduled meeting. All other students can use this time to decompress from the day, call your parents/family, enjoy the fresh air, or connect with your peers! | Various Rooms, Sumers Welcome Center (#173) OR South 40 |
| 8:30 – 9:45 p.m. | Team Time: As a team, continue working on the case study competition. Your RPA will be present to answer any questions. | Various rooms, Nemerov House (#321) |
| 10:30 – 11:00 p.m. | Settling in for the Night: Wind down from an exciting fourth day and be in your rooms by 11:00 p.m. for curfew. | Nemerov House (#321) |
| Thursday, July 23 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 8:30 – 9:45 a.m. | Breakfast: Use your meal card to eat breakfast on campus. | Danforth University Center (#125) |
| 10:00 a.m. – Noon | Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts Academic Experience: You’ll engage in an interactive flag making activity, followed by an overview of the Sam Fox School, and close with a guided tour of the Kemper Art Museum. | Room 60, Hillman Hall (#139) |
| 12:15 – 1:30 p.m. | Lunch: Use your meal card to eat lunch on campus. A staff member will meet you at 1:30 p.m. to walk to your next seminar. | Danforth University Center (#125) |
| 1:45 – 3:00 p.m. | College Admissions Seminar 4: Learn about the financial aid process, financial aid resources, and personal budgeting tips from a Student Financial Services (SFS) representative. | Room 205, Wrighton Hall (#185) |
| 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. | Free Time | |
| 4:15 – 5:30 p.m. | Peer Mentor Meeting 3: Meet with your cohort as your RPA shares some of the college application resources available to you and introduces the “I Am From” poem activity. | Rooms 205, 207, 208, 210, 211, and 212, Eads Hall (#127) |
| 5:30 – 5:45 p.m. | Travel to Brookings Hall: RPAs will walk you to Brookings Hall for the group photo. | |
| 5:45 – 6:30 p.m. | Group Photo: Academy participants, RPAs, your regional Admissions Officers, and the WashU Bear mascot will get together for a group photo to commemorate the week together! | Brookings Hall (#112) |
| 6:30 – 6:45 p.m. | Travel to Sumers Welcome Center: RPAs will walk with you to Sumers Welcome Center for the WRSA Block Party. | |
| 6:45 – 8:30 p.m. | WRSA Block Party: Bear Ambassadors and current students will join you and your RPAs for this fun evening of food, photo booths, yard games, and music! | Sumers Welcome Center (#173) |
| 8:45 – 9:45 p.m. | Team Time: Finish working with your team on the case study competition and prepare for the Friday presentation. Your RPA will be present to answer any questions. | Various rooms, Nemerov House (#321) |
| 10:30 – 11:00 p.m. | Settling in for the Night: Wind down from an exciting fifth day and be in your rooms by 11:00 p.m. for curfew. | Nemerov House (#321) |
| Friday, July 24 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 8:15 – 9:30 a.m. | Breakfast: Use your meal card to eat breakfast on campus. | Danforth University Center (#125) |
| 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | McKelvey School of Engineering Academic Experience: You’ll hear an overview of the McKelvey School of Engineering, followed by rotating demonstrations of our labs and Makerspace. | Rooms 120, Jubel Hall (#143) |
| 12:15 – 1:30 p.m. | Lunch: Use your meal card to eat lunch on campus. | Danforth University Center (#125) |
| 1:45 – 3:00 p.m. | Meet Your Admissions Officers/Free Time: If scheduled for your meeting with a WashU Admissions Officer, head to the Sumers Welcome Center 15 minutes before your scheduled meeting. All other students can use this time to decompress from the day, call your parents/family, enjoy the fresh air, or connect with your peers! | Various Rooms, Sumers Welcome Center (#173) OR South 40 |
| 3:00 – 3:30 p.m. | Travel to the Gateway Arch: Meet a staff member at the Sumers Welcome Center and walk to the shuttle location. | Sumers Welcome Center (#173) |
| 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. | Explore the Gateway Arch: Take a tram ride to the top of the Arch! | Gateway Arch |
| 5:15 – 6:45 p.m. | Dinner: Enjoy one final dinner as a cohort. | Taco Buddha |
| 7:15 – 7:45 p.m. | Case Study Presentations | Room 120, Jubel Hall (#173) |
| 8:00 – 10:00 p.m. | Free Time: Use this time to decompress from the day, call your parents/family, enjoy the fresh air, or connect with your peers! | |
| 10:30 – 11:00 p.m. | Settling in for the Night: Wind down from an exciting sixth day and be in your rooms by 11:00 p.m. for curfew. | Nemerov House (#321) |
| Saturday, July 25 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. | Family and Guest Check-in: Up to two parents or guests of Academy participants will check in with Undergraduate Admissions staff prior to beginning a morning of programming. | Room 276, Danforth University Center (#125) |
| 9:00 – 10:30 a.m. | Peer Mentor Meeting 4: Grab breakfast with your meal card and join your RPA and cohort for one final small group meeting as you reflect on what you’ve learned and share your “I Am From” poem. | Rooms 236, 240, 241, 242, 245, and 248, Danforth University Center (#125) |
| 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. | WashU Admissions Overview and Campus Tour: Up to two parents/guests of Academy participants will attend a WashU Admissions Overview. Afterward, parents/guests will attend a campus tour guided by a current student! | Room 1, Simon Hall (#168) |
| 10:30 – 11:00 a.m. | Free time | |
| 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Closing Lunch: Close out your week at the WashU Rural Scholars Academy with a lunch hosted by Undergraduate Admissions and Student Financial Services. | Umrath Lounge, Umrath Hall (#177) |
| 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. | Say Goodbye: Be sure to pick up your luggage from the lobby of the Sumers Welcome Center if you have not already and tell your peers, RPAs, and Admissions Officers goodbye. Students flying home will immediately board a shuttle to the St. Louis Lambert International Airport. |