Welcome to Summer in Sewanee

There's nothing like summer in Sewanee. While most of the University’s students leave campus for a well-deserved break during the warm months, visitors of all ages come to the Mountain to relax, to explore our 13,000 acres of trails, lakes, and forests, and to take advantage of the many opportunities offered from late May to mid-August.

Sports camps bring athletes of all ages to the Mountain while musicians rehearse on green lawns beneath spreading trees. Writers and poets come to practice their craft and learn from some of the finest writers in the world. And a number of academic programs offer a wide range of educational opportunities.

Whatever your age or interest, there’s probably a program that’s right for you. Join us in Sewanee this summer. If you would like to connect with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, please complete this form.

College Students    High School Students

Athletic Camps

Community Members & Post-Graduate Students

Sewanee Summer Music Festival (SSMF)




College Students

Sewanee Summer Music Festival (SSMF)

Sewanee Summer Music Festival (SSMF) is an internationally acclaimed summer festival, which combines a four-week program for advanced music students and a professional concert series. Each summer, more than 200 aspiring young musicians from all over the United States and abroad join more than 40 teachers, performers, and internationally recognized guest artists to create a musical community in Sewanee.

Summer School

The College’s six-week summer session serves students who wish to broaden or enrich their academic program, gain additional credits, or speed acquisition of their degree. Incoming first-year students may wish to take summer classes to adjust to college challenges in a more relaxed atmosphere. Regular college faculty members provide the instruction. Course content and academic standards are the same as during the regular academic year. Both introductory and advanced courses are offered. It is held from mid June to late July and typically about 80 students attend.




Community Members & Post graduate students

Adult Tennis Camp

Our Adult Tennis Camp is for players from 21-81 and above. Campers come individually, with their team, with friends and even some as couples. For beginners or seasoned players, join us for a great weekend of instruction and competitive matches. We will work on stroke execution as well as match strategy. There are two sessions with a limit of 60 students per session so call now to reserve your spot.

Age Group: 21 - 81+
Contact: John Shackelford

Sewanee Summer Music Festival (SSMF)

The Sewanee Summer Music Festival (SSMF) is an internationally acclaimed summer festival, which combines a four-week program for advanced music students and a professional concert series. Each summer, more than 200 aspiring young musicians from all over the United States and abroad join more than 40 teachers, performers, and internationally recognized guest artists to create a musical community in Sewanee.

Sewanee Summer Seminar

The Sewanee Summer Seminar, which began in 1976, is a week-long return-to-academics for University alumni and friends. Five lecturers from the College and School of Theology faculty give a major presentation in one of the early morning sessions and give a shorter presentation on another topic in the second half of another morning session. Topics range broadly, according to the interests of the lecturers. Afternoons are used for outings and other informal events. The sessions are held during June and July.

Contact: Dan Backlund

Sewanee Writers’ Conference

For over two decades, the Sewanee Writers’ Conference has helped talented writers better understand their craft, learning from the best minds in the industry. Supported by the Walter E. Dakin Memorial Fund established through the estate of the late Tennessee Williams, the Conference will gather a distinguished faculty to provide instruction and criticism through workshops and craft lectures in fiction, poetry, and playwriting.

Contact: Gwen Kirby

The School of Theology Advanced Degrees Program

The School of Theology's summer graduate program, offers the Doctor of Ministry degree and Master of Sacred Theology degree. Held in June, this program brings students together in the relaxed summer atmosphere to study and exchange thoughts and ideas with others. Among the strengths of the Advanced Degrees Program is that it is one of the few to meet in the summer when clergy are not as busy as usual, and provides them an opportunity to focus more intensely on their studies.

Would you like to learn more? You may send an email to our admission counselor to receive additional information.

The Sewanee School of Letters MFA Program

The Sewanee School of Letters is a degree program offering offering an MFA in Creative Writing. Sessions are six weeks long, running from early June to mid-July. The program features a summer reading series that is open to the public, and readers include our summer faculty as well as other prominent poets, authors, and writers. The schedule can be found on the website. The 2024 Summer Session is June 2 - July 13.

Contact: April Alvarez