Setting a record
University hosts 94 groups, 12,000 people this summer

By the end of the summer the university will have hosted 94 different groups, including 12,000 campers, business people, students, educators, musicians and athletes - 24 new groups and 3,300 more people than Furman's record-breaking attendance last year.

One large contributor to this summer's population explosion is the Sweet Adelines International Education Symposium. Sweet Adelines International is an organization numbering 30,000 women hailing from all 50 states and the countries of Australia, Canada, China, England, Finland, Germany, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Scotland, Sweden, the Netherlands and Wales.

The Adelines are sending 1,500 women to Furman to teach and promote the harmonious singing style of barbershop music. The public is welcome to attend the Sweet Adelines free outdoor lakeside concert on July 18 and to purchase tickets to watch the International Harmony Classic Chorus competition in McAlister Auditorium on July 20.

Besides the musical attractions this summer, sports camps are always popular at Furman. Many children and youth use the camps to improve their athletic skills. This year the university is hosting basketball, tennis, golf, volleyball, soccer, softball, baseball and football camps.

Another major summer group is the National Football League's Atlanta Falcons, whose 150 players, coaches and administrative personnel bring significant media attention to the university when they arrive for training camp. Marie Burgess, manager of camps and conferences, says that Furman's excellent facilities and beautiful campus can be credited for attracting many high-profile groups such as the Sweet Adelines and the Falcons.

"Twenty-five of the 94 groups are adult conferences," says Burgess. "The North Village apartments and contemporary meeting rooms at the University Center and in classroom buildings are helping us attract more adult conferences."

This will be the fourth consecutive year the Falcons will hold their summer training camp at Furman. Players and coaches arrive Wednesday, July 24, with the first practice scheduled for 3 p.m. Thursday, July 25. The final practice is scheduled for August 8. The Falcons, who traditionally stay four to five weeks, will have an abbreviated summer session and will complete the camp at their new training facility in Flowery Branch, Ga.

Among children's summer activities, many local kids enjoy attending the "Scopes" academic camps. This summer, 200 campers are expected to attend the three Scopes programs. Microscope is the beginner Scopes camp and is designed for first and second graders. Children in this program focus on science, reading, arts and outdoor sports. Kaleidoscope, a camp designed for children in grades 3-5, is also geared toward science but includes social studies and writing proficiency in its curriculum. Telescope is for middle school kids and, like Kaleidoscope, places special emphasis on history and science.

The Bridges to a Brighter Future program is designed for outstanding local high school students with financial need. The program's goal is to help students reach their academic potential and to counsel them though the college application process their senior year. This summer, 67 students enrolled in the Bridges program, held June 22 through July 19.

The United States Handball and the United States Cycling Associations also held training camps for youths on campus. Many of these young people are projected to be future Olympians.

-- by Kyle Snipes, MPR intern