Frequently Asked Questions

• Our Summer Empowerment Academy program is designed to support incoming conditionally admitted students as they transition into college life – both socially and academically. This program provides a unique opportunity to get a head start on your academic journey, build essential skills, and form lasting connections.  Whether you are a recent high school graduate or an adult learner, our program offers a supportive and engaging environment to prepare you for success as you pursue your academic goals
• Students participating in the Summer Empowerment Academy will arrive early to campus and participate in our program in the two weeks leading up to the start of our summer semester. Students planning to live on campus will have the opportunity to move into their Fall 2025 assigned residence hall room early to be able to participate.  Students who live locally are also invited to participate in the program but will not be able to stay on campus during the Academy.

• Sunday, August 3, through Tuesday, August 12.
• This program will end just as our annual Week of Welcome event begins.

• Eligible students are those who have been conditionally admitted to University College at Marshall University as incoming first-year students for Fall 2025.
• Eligible students have registered for Marshall’s New Student Orientation in Summer 2025.
• Eligible students must have submitted a 2025-2026 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at studentaid.gov and listed Marshall University as a recipient of the results.
• Eligible students must submit an application to be considered for participation.

• The program is highly encouraged but not required.

• Students who are conditionally admitted have high school GPAs below those of regularly admitted students. Marshall University is committed to providing access to higher education for educationally disadvantaged students.

• There is no cost to students who are selected.
• Students should plan to have a few dollars for incidental expenses you might have. This might include items you need for your residence hall room or extra snacks not provided by the program.

• The program will kick-off with a dinner on Sunday evening, August 3.
• On weekdays (M – F), residence hall students will be provided with three meals a day in our dining hall. This will include breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• On the weekend, residence hall students will be provided with two meals a day in our dining hall. This will include brunch and dinner.
• Commuting students will be provided with lunch on weekdays and on the weekend for any events or activities. Dinner will be available if students choose to stay for the evening activities before returning home each day.

• The first round of housing assignments is typically released the last week of May or the first week of June so that students can know their assignments before they attend New Student Orientation. Additional assignments will be released throughout the summer as students finalize their housing arrangements.

• For lists of things to bring and things not to bring, please visit https://www.marshall.edu/housing/residence-hall-info/what-to-pack/. Please remember that you are moving in early for the entire semester. Plan accordingly.
• Depending on whether or not you will have the opportunity to bring other items at a later date, please plan ahead for changes in weather and temperature. The fall weather in Huntington can be unpredictable from sunshine, to rain (umbrella or raincoat), to snow (boots) or just plain cold (coat, hat, gloves, scarves, etc.). Think ahead and plan accordingly.
• Don’t forget to bring your laptop and other school supplies such as notebooks, pens, pencils, highlighters, etc.

• Course materials will be provided for the program, but you do need to think ahead about your textbooks for fall classes.

• Students living on campus will have access to breakfast in the dining hall before our morning programs begin and dinner in the evening. All participants, those living on campus and those commuting daily to participate in program, will be provided lunch each day during the program.
• We will have a program group dinner on the evening of Sunday, August 3, and a closing group dinner on Tuesday, August 12.  Both dinners will be at 5:30 p.m.

• A maximum of 60 applicants will be selected to participate in the Summer Empowerment Academy. Successful applicants will be those who apply by the designated deadline, have been admitted with conditions (high school GPA below 3.00 without a test score qualifying for regular admission), have registered for New Student Orientation, and have completed the 2025-2026 FAFSA.
• Applications will go through a selective review process.

• Students who are planning to live in on-campus residence halls for the Fall 2025 semester will be allowed to move in to their assigned residence hall room on Sunday, August 3. Students who do not plan to live in the residence halls for the Fall 2025 semester will not have the option to live on campus during the program but are still encouraged to apply and participate, if selected, in all classes and activities while living locally and commuting to campus daily. Parking passes will be provided for the length of this program.

• Parking passes for free parking will be provided for students who will be commuting to campus daily for the program.
• Parking spaces will be provided on the parking lot behind the Aurthur Weisberg Family Engineering Laboratories on Third Avenue. You can access the parking lot from Hal Greer Blvd and turn right onto the alley between the campus facilitates and the parking lot.

See parking map.

• Students moving into the residence halls will be given instructions on where to report to unload your belongings and move into your room. Move in will begin at 10 a.m. on Sunday, August 3, at your designated residence hall. Please keep in mind that meals for this program will not begin until dinner on Sunday. Breakfast and lunch on Sunday, August 3, is on your own. There are several fast food restaurants within walking distance from the residence halls.
• All students, those living in the residence halls and those local students who will be commuting, will check-in for the program on Sunday, August 3, at 5 p.m. in the Memorial Student Center.

• Marshall University’s support services are available to students all year. Students will have the opportunity to communicate their needs with their academic advisors who will also be one of their Summer Empowerment Academy instructors. Advisors can help direct them to the services they need. Some of the services available include mental health counseling, accommodations for documented and approved physical and learning disabilities, tutoring, writing support, etc.

• Attendance and participation is required at all daily class meetings and evening activities. Participants may return home as long as it does not interfere with program attendance and participation.

• The application is available on the academy website at www.marshall.edu/uc/empowerment-academy or you can apply directly.

• Selections will be made in mid-June and students will be notified as soon as possible.

• Participants in the program will have full day schedules and evening activities and participation is expected in all classes and activities. It is unlikely that a student would be able to work during the program.

• Oftentimes, students are behind in the financial aid process. By requiring submission of the FAFSA early, we can ensure that program participants are on the way to completing all of the necessary steps to be considered for the maximum amount of student aid for which they can qualify. Participants do not have to be eligible for financial aid to be selected for this program as some students and/or their families pay their tuition and housing costs through private means.
• Students who successfully complete the Summer Empowerment Academy will have the cost of their Fall 2025 textbooks covered through our program. This must be coordinated with the Office of Student Financial Aid.

• When students register to attend our New Student Orientation program, they are making a commitment to let us know that they truly plan to attend Marshall University in the upcoming fall semester. When students apply to participate in our Summer Empowerment Academy, we need to know that they are committed to attending Marshall.

• Students selected to participate in this program will automatically be registered for two credit hours by their academic advisor.

• Students who successfully complete the program will receive one credit hour for completion of UNI 100 Freshman First Class, which is a course required for all conditionally admitted students. Students who successfully complete the program will also receive one credit hour for UNI 284 College Reading & Learning Strategies which will be an elective credit. 

• Elective courses are those which are not specifically required for your academic program of study but can still count toward the number of hours required to graduate.

• As long as you are registered for the fall semester with a full-time course schedule, you will not be charged additional tuition for these courses.

• Students participating in the University College Summer Empowerment Academy are required to register and attend New Student Orientation. Students will meet with an academic advisor during the orientation program. A course schedule will typically be prepared before you arrive, and you will have the opportunity to review and discuss your schedule when you meet with your advisor.
• In addition, your academic advisor will be involved in delivering the Empowerment Academy and you will see them daily. Upon completion of the program, you will meet with your advisor individually.

• You are expected to attend and actively participate in every class session and activity provided during the program. The class sessions will last all day each day of the program, except on the weekend where you will likely have an activity on Saturday, August 9, and free time on Sunday, August 10. You will have some daily homework assignments to complete each evening.  Don’t panic – they will be reasonable assignments and tasks that you can complete in a reasonable amount of time.