Summer 2026 is officially in session at NSLC.
Students have already arrived at IMG Academy, Rice University, and Duke University, with many more on the way to NSLC campuses across the country in the coming weeks. From Houston to Washington, D.C., Los Angeles to the Outer Banks, here are a few highlights from this summer’s itinerary:
Engineering at NASA’s Johnson Space Center
Houston has long been synonymous with space exploration, and students in NSLC Engineering at Rice University will spend multiple days at Space Center Houston and NASA’s Johnson Space Center getting a closer look at the astronaut training facilities and technology that make human spaceflight possible.
A highlight of the program is a visit to the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, one of the largest indoor pools in the world, where astronauts prepare for spacewalks by simulating the conditions of microgravity in a controlled environment. It’s also the same training facility where the Artemis II crew rehearsed recovery procedures for the Orion spacecraft’s historic splashdown back to Earth this past April.
Marine Biology on the North Carolina Coast
While much of NSLC’s Marine Biology program at Duke University will take place on its main campus in Durham, some of the most memorable hands-on activities will happen a few hours east on North Carolina’s coast.
Students will spend three nights of their program in the Outer Banks, exploring the region through activities with the Duke University Marine Lab, including a coastal ecology research vessel expedition on the open water.
North Carolina is a new location for the Marine Biology program in 2026, giving students the opportunity to explore a marine environment that sometimes flies under the radar. The Outer Banks are home to a complex network of barrier islands and estuaries, offering future marine biologists a different perspective on the field than they might expect.
Marketing & Public Relations at Edelman
Students in NSLC’s newest Marketing & Public Relations program in New York City will visit Edelman, widely recognized as the world’s largest public relations and communications marketing firm, with an impressive client roster that includes brands like Dove, Xbox, Taco Bell, and General Mills. During a tour of the company’s headquarters, students will hear directly from strategists about their career journeys, the experiences that helped them stand out early in their careers, and what it takes to break into the industry today.
Animation at DreamWorks
DreamWorks Animation is already familiar to most people, even if they don’t immediately realize it. The studio behind franchises like Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda, and Madagascar has spent over three decades creating some of the most recognizable characters and stories in modern animation.
NSLC’s Animation program at UCLA will visit DreamWorks’ Glendale campus, getting a behind-the-scenes tour of the studio spaces and hearing directly from artists currently working in the industry. It’s an exciting opportunity to step inside the creative home of some of animation’s most beloved films and get a closer look at the process behind bringing them to life on screen.
Music Industry & Production at The Village
Behind an unassuming set of doors in Los Angeles sits The Village, one of the most storied recording studios in the music business. Over the past six decades, artists including Fleetwood Mac, Lady Gaga, Snoop Dogg, Kesha, The Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan have all recorded at the iconic studio, helping cement its place in music history.
Students in NSLC Music Industry & Production at UCLA will tour the legendary space and learn about the generations of artists who have passed through its doors, with a unique opportunity to record alongside one of The Village’s engineers in their state-of-the-art studio.
Law & Advocacy at the U.S. Supreme Court
For many people, the Supreme Court is a mythical room that exists more as an idea than an actual place. Students in NSLC Law & Advocacy at Georgetown University will experience it firsthand this summer, hearing from professionals whose careers led them to the nation’s highest court before stepping inside the courtroom itself. It’s a rare chance to move beyond headlines and gain a look inside the historic space that sits at the heart of the American legal system.
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Summer 2026 is just getting started. Follow along as students explore campuses, careers, and hands-on experiences across the country at photos.nslcleaders.org.
Please note that, while uncommon, schedules and site visits are subject to change, and some experiences described above may be adjusted as needed.