Frequently Asked Questions

Drop off each day is between 8:30-9:00am. Pick up times are from 4:00-4:30pm. Drop off and pick up have typically been on the Quad in front of Harrington Auditorium; however, final details for the summer 2025 program will be communicated by June 1.

Please refer to this campus map

Morgan Dining Hall provides an array of food, including a complete a salad bar, vegan /vegetarian items, sandwiches, chicken tenders, French fries, pizza, and pasta! In addition, there is whole and sliced fruit, yogurt, baked goods, and soft serve ice cream are offered for dessert!

We are happy to accommodate participants with food allergies and other dietary concerns, including, but not limited to vegan, vegetarian, and Halal meals. If there is a dietary accommodation, please inform our office by June 1 so that we can provide the best dining experience for your participant.

We have removed the presence of peanuts and tree nuts from this dining hall in order to allow summer participants with nut allergies more freedom of choice. In order to ensure this policy, no outside food is allowed in the dining hall. If this is a concern, please reach out to the Office of Pre-collegiate Outreach Programs at pop@wpi.edu.

Special Dietary Concerns:

We have a Balance U Station that prepares a tasty menu line without the “Top 8” allergens or gluten (milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybean). Our culinary staff and associates at the station are all specially trained to limit cross-contact during food prep.

There is an area of the dining hall, called S.P.A.C.E. (Special Product Allergen Controlled Eating) which has a wide variety of packaged gluten-free foods, cereals, snacks, breads, and prepared pasta. A toaster and microwave oven are also available in this area, and are used only for gluten-free foods to minimize cross-contamination. Non-dairy milk beverages are also available. Please contact Shavaun Cloran, Registered Dietitian, at scloran@wpi.edu for any specific concerns/questions.

All programs are overseen by several staff members with expertise in engineering, teaching, outreach programs, admissions, and student life. This staff supports summer and academic year efforts in inspiring and reaching youth to spark a passion for STEM. During summer programs, the entire WPI community is involved in supporting our programs, including our WPI undergraduate students who serve as daytime counselors, called Program Assistants (PAs). All faculty and staff have been carefully selected to provide participants with a variety of positive role models and have been through extensive training and a background check. Throughout the program, staff supervision ratios exceed camp association recommendations.

During Launch a summer health care center is open 8:30am-4:30pm to all program participants, with registered nurses. If your participant needs to take prescription medication while on campus, this should be given to the health care staff when they first arrive on campus at drop-off. Families will pick up the medication from the nursing staff on the last day of the program. Prescriptions must be in their original packaging with the prescribing physician and dosage listed.

The WPI Pre-Collegiate Outreach Programs strives to provide a safe, secure, educational and fun environment for our summer programs participants. In order to achieve this, we ask that all parents, guardians and participants follow all policies that are outlined. Please visit our Program Policies webpage for complete details.

The Office of Pre-collegiate Outreach Programs offers financial assistance for families with demonstrated financial need. Please see our Program Policies for more details.

In order to reserve the participant's spot in their program, please follow the payment details on the program registration page. Please be aware that if you are requesting tuition assistance there may be an additional balance due after the initial deposit.

We require the following items to be submitted by May 15 so that we can fully prepare all of our camps and programs. All forms can be uploaded through your registration portal. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Pre-collegiate Outreach Programs by phone at 508-831-4900 or email at pop@wpi.edu.

· Payment in full.

· A headshot photo of the participant so that it can be included on the roster for instructors and medical staff. The photograph should be of the head and shoulders only and clearly show your face without hats, sunglasses, headphones, or other accessories. The photo should preferably have a plain white background and saved as a .jpg. *Participants will be issued a WPI Photo ID, which will include this headshot photo. Participants are asked to carry the WPI ID during the program since it will grant access to residence halls, academic buildings, labs, and other facilities on campus.

· The General Release forms and participation liability waivers.

It is suggested that all participants bring:

• small notebook
• pencil/pen
• refillable water bottle
• sweatshirt/jacket (as some rooms can be cool with air conditioning)

Participants will receive a welcome letter from their instructors two weeks prior to the first day of the program that will list any specific materials or clothing that will be required as part of their program in addition to what is listed above.