Apply for a Compass Summer hands-on learning experience before Feb. 13

Looking to get hands-on research experience? Turn your idea into a business start-up? Or just try something new while picking up marketable skills? Compass Summer is the place, and now is the time. Through Feb. 13, 2026, Salve Regina University sophomores and juniors can apply for these bite-sized immersive programs that run in May and July 2026 here.

Part of the Salve Compass program, Compass Summer is a chance to get hands-on learning experiences that blend creativity, leadership and community engagement. These project-based sessions, all under two weeks, help you build important skills in a team setting – regardless of your major or intended career path. They’re all led by Salve faculty, and best of all, there’s no cost to you. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, all meals, housing, outings and materials are fully funded.

Claudia Jankovich ’27, a global business and economics major, was part of a team that turned their Compass Summer 2025 entrepreneurship project into an award-winning business venture.

“The whole Compass experience taught us how to build a business from the ground up,” she said. “We had one week to fully build a business plan and pitch an idea, and by the end, our group was the most ready to launch.” She added, “I wasn’t super tech-savvy or even sure I wanted to do this. Compass helped me realize that trying something new can open doors you didn’t even know existed.”

Compass Summer 2026 offers a range of experiences.  In “Embryos & Editing: From Tidepools to CRISPR,” students will collect marine organisms along the coast, observe embryos and work with revolutionary gene-editing technology. Students in “Community Engagement & Public Health” will hit the road in Salve’s mobile unit to research, prepare and deliver vital health education out in the community. Others will feed their passion for mentoring high school students, for entrepreneurship, cultural and historic preservation, outdoor adventures, civic engagement, AI, marine biodiversity and mindfulness in nature. The full list is here.

Christopher Molina ’27, a criminal justice and criminology major, spent two weeks in a Compass Summer 2025 experience building a wooden dinghy from the ground up. “When choosing to come and be a part of this program, I just wanted to challenge myself with something new,” he said. “Meeting great people, developing my teamwork skills and leadership skills – this is an experience I’ll never forget.”

With its short-term sessions and summer schedule, Compass Summer is also ideal for student athletes who find most of their in-season time devoted to their sports. Six members of Salve’s women’s basketball team took advantage of Compass Summer’s 2025 program hiking, kayaking, biking and sailing their way around wild Rhode Island.  

One of them, special education major Maeve Tullson ’27, said, "All students should take advantage of Salve Compass because it's a unique experience. It’s a great way to meet people and get away from strict academics for a while. It's a week of fun and being outside. You'll learn different things that maybe you wouldn't in the classroom. I would have never had that experience if I didn't do Compass Summer."

Ready to take the next step? Apply here. For questions or help exploring your options, reach out to Jen Jensen, associate director of Salve Compass.