The Young Civil War Historians Conference offers high school students an opportunity to do what historians do: use original historical documents, battlefield landscapes, Civil War photographs, and commemorative pieces like monuments and memorials as sources for drawing conclusions about the Battle of Gettysburg, and the Civil War more broadly. One of the highlights of the camp will be a trip to Washington featuring a visit to the National Archives to explore the official records of Civil War regiments.
The conference will be held July 13-18, 2025.
Contact information: civilwarcamp@gettysburg.edu.
On this page:
Application Information
APPLY NOW to participate in the 2025 Young Civil War Historians Conference!
Applicants will be notified of their application status within two weeks of submission of all required materials; at that point, accepted candidates will receive instructions for registration and payment.
Please note that the $50 application fee is nonrefundable and in addition to the cost of the conference itself.
Scholarship Information
A limited number of scholarships in the amount of $500 apiece are available. To apply for a scholarship, students should submit a 1-2 page letter explaining their interest in history & the Civil War era and what they hope to get out of the conference AND a recommendation from their social studies teacher. For full consideration, materials should be emailed to civilwarcamp@gettysburg.edu by MARCH 15, 2025. Applicants may send the teacher recommendation directly, or have their teacher email it to us.
Camp Directors
Jill Ogline Titus is interim director of the Civil War Institute and interim program director of the Civil War Era Studies minor, as well as co-coordinator of the college’s Public History minor. She is the author of Gettysburg 1963: Civil Rights, Cold War Politics, and Historical Memory in America’s Most Famous Small Town (University of North Carolina Press, 2021), and Brown’s Battleground: Students, Segregationists, and the Struggle for Justice in Prince Edward County (UNC Press, 2011). Her teaching and research interests center on African American history, historical memory, public history, and 20th century US history.
Ashley Whitehead Luskey is the Assistant Director of the Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College, where she works with Gettysburg College students on a variety of original research-based Civil War and public history projects, coordinates the annual CWI summer conference, and gives tours of the battlefield to visitors. She also sits on the Board of the Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania. Her academic interests focus on the long Civil War era, Southern history, cultural history, public history, and the intersection of history & memory.
Camp Goals/Overview
Much of the week will be devoted to exploring Gettysburg National Military Park, the nation’s most famous battlefield, as a historical source. We'll read the words of Joshua Chamberlain at Little Round Top; examine artifacts from the battle; walk Pickett’s Charge; study Civil War photographs; learn about Civil War medicine; and stand where Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address. Participants will experience a taste of college life, and have the opportunity to develop friendships with other young people who share their interest in the past.
Details at a Glance
Where: Gettysburg College campus
When: July 13-18, 2025
How Much: $1,395 for all activities, tours, room and board
Who: Rising high school juniors and seniors
Application Deadline: Applications will be received on a rolling basis until July 1st, or available spaces have been filled, whichever comes first.
FAQs
Registration and Logistics
- When is the camp?
- The camp will take place from July 13 to July 18, 2025
- How much does it cost to attend?
- The camp fee is $1,395, plus a $50 nonrefundable application fee. This includes all activities and tours, as well as room and board. The number of admitted campers is limited to facilitate close contact with camp directors and guest speakers.
- When is the application deadline?
- Applications will be accepted until July 1st, or available spaces are filled, whichever comes first. Once admitted, campers will receive instructions for completing online registration. When the camp is full, registration will close.
- What is the refund and cancellation policy?
- Gettysburg Conference Refund Policy: Refund requests received up to 60 days prior to the start of the camp will be given a full refund. No refunds will be issued less than 60 days from start of camp.
- What is the contact information for the camp?
- Young Civil War Historians Conference
- Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College
300 North Washington Street
Campus Box 435
Gettysburg, PA 17325
717-337-6590 - The email address is civilwarcamp@gettysburg.edu.
- Who is eligible to attend the the camp?
- The Young Civil War Historians Conference is designed for rising high school juniors and seniors.
- Does my camper need to do academic preparation for the camp?
- No. We welcome campers with varying levels of knowledge from no knowledge to extensive knowledge.
Camp Life
- Can my camper bring a cellphone?
- Yes. However, campers will be asked to turn off cellphones and other portable electronic devices during all classroom sessions, tours, etc.
- Does my camper need a computer?
- Yes, campers should bring a laptop computer/tablet with word processing software.
- What does a typical day look like?
- See a sample day at the Young Civil War Historians Conference.