Caminos al Futuro
Caminos al Futuro is a fully funded, pre-college and residential summer program. To be eligible, you must be a rising senior at a U.S. high school with a high-level of academic achievement and a demonstrated commitment to service and leadership within the Latino/Hispanic community.
During the three-week intensive program, Caminos scholars examine the social, economic and political transformations affecting the Hispanic/Latino community in a college-like environment. Participants get a first-hand view of policymaking in the nation’s capital with visits to Congress, government agencies and leading non-profits. The program also includes lectures and small-group meetings with university professors and national Latino leaders.
Summer 2022 Important Dates
Program Dates: July 3 – July 22, 2022
Application Deadline: Closed March 5, 2022
Applications for Summer 2023 will open in December 2022
"Caminos al Futuro completely changed my views on what it means to be a Latino. It also made me completely fall in love with Washington, D.C. I felt empowered to be a leader and to represent my community back home.”
Caminos al Futuro 2018 Alumnus
3
weeks
15
scholars
300+
average applicants
$0
cost to participants
Program Highlights
Academic Lecture Series on Latinos in the U.S.
During the Academic Lecture Series, led by Dr. Elizabeth Vaquera, scholars learn about the political and social transformations affecting Latino communities nationwide. Material includes interactive lectures, academic reading discussions and conducting research. This is an undergraduate level course in which all the Caminos Scholars are expected to engage and analyze data about Latinos in the U.S. and in their own communities.
Changing the Narrative Writing Lab
Trey Johnston leads the Changing the Narrative Writing Lab (CTN). Focused on the art of writing to get into and to succeed in college, these workshops also guide scholars through the process of creating and presenting awareness initiatives (Community Action Projects or CAP) on a current issue centered in their chosen Latino community, which is presented at the end of the three weeks. These writing workshops also incorporate discussions of identity and how language shapes modern-day interaction.
College Prep Academy
GW’s University Admissions Specialists offer a series of workshops in which scholars learn about what college and universities look for in college applications. Some of the topics covered include: What Colleges and Universities Look For in Your Application, #CollegeAccess: The Road to a Higher Education, Scholarships, FAFSA, Building Your “College Timeline,” and Navigating College as a First-Generation Latino/a/x Student.
Community Action Projects
Throughout the program, participants are guided through developing an action project that they present at the end of the program. These projects can range from awareness raising initiatives to direct implementation of services, but all of them focus on ways that young people can create a positive and lasting impact for Hispanic/Latinx communities back home.
What to Expect
