Southeast Missouri State University's second summer hosting Camp Redhawk has come to an end.

Camp Redhawk is a four day and three night session that begins on Sunday and ends on Wednesday. Students could choose between 5 sessions to attend. This is up from four the previous summer.

During the session, future students who attend have many opportunities to learn and interact with current students who have seen success at Southeast.

"The initial thought process behind Camp Redhawk was really to boster student engagement on our campus," Katie Foshee, assistant director of admissions for new student programs at Southeast, said. "We really wanted students to feel more connected to campus at an earlier point."

Foshee said that students who participate more on campus during their first semester are more likely to continue onto their second semester, second year and then graduation.

According to Foshee, Student Government Association President Peter Jacobsen spoke to a majority of students who attended this summer.

Students who attend Camp Redhawk also have the opportunity to meet with student-athletes during their time at Houck Field House and on Houck Stadium's field. This allows the students to connect with the athletes and the coaches themselves.

"How many incoming freshman have had the chance to shake the hand of a Division I football coach or Division I basketball coach? I think that's a really neat opportunity for some of our students to be able to participate in before even actually attending the school during the academic year," Foshee said.

"From a student perspective, I don't think the experience has changed at all," Foshee said. "I believe that they are getting the highest quality experience, and I don't think that is going to change in the coming years. This past summer, we started to take the steps to transition the camp into Campus Life and Event Services so that we can make it a part of the leadership program that we have on our campus."

Prior to this summer, three separate departments --  Residence Life, New Student Programs and Recreation Services -- on campus had representatives working to make sure that Camp Redhawk went from an idea to a reality.

Attending student numbers increased from the initial summer session. During the first year of the program, just under 200 students attended with 215 in total arriving on campus this summer to participate.

The cost to students is $180 dollars, which covers their stay on campus in a residence hall, all of their meals and giveaway items like T-shirts.

Current Southeast students who wish to participate in helping with Camp Redhawk should keep an eye out on all of the university's social media accounts for posts seeking help.

"Being a nest leader was such a rewarding experience because I was able to help incoming freshmen feel comfortable with their exciting and new transition," Bree Armer, who worked as a nest leader last summer, said.

For additional information, visit the New Student Programs webpage at semo.edu/nsp/campredhawk.