Luther College to host 20-sided summer camp for the first time June 26-28

For the first time, Luther College will host a 20-sided summer camp. The overnight camp will take place from June 26-28 and is open to students entering grades 10th through 12th and recent high school graduates.

Sören Steding, professor of German at Luther College, plays a role-playing tabletop board game with several college students at Preus Library.

The summer camp’s name, 20-sided, refers to a 20-sided die that is central to popular fantasy role-playing tabletop board games like Dungeons and Dragons. In these games, players do more than simply roll a die and move a token. Players encounter quests and battles that require group collaboration, puzzle-solving and improvisation. Each player has an assigned role with special abilities but also has the freedom to explore new characters and test the boundaries of the environment managed by the dungeon master. The result is a complex, unpredictable game.

“It’s a real-world scenario in a fantasy setting. As the students play the game at the summer camp, they are investigating ethics and testing out the consequences of their actions in a collaborative environment, and it’s all wrapped around creativity,” said Joe Madrigal, associate professor of art at Luther. “The students learn by doing.”

The 20-sided summer camp will combine storytelling, art, and strategy. Participants will develop critical thinking, communication, teamwork, and creativity — skills that directly support academic success and intellectual growth.

“Students interested in developing any of these skills should consider this camp,” Madrigal said.

At the camp, students will also participate in hobby-based workshops, like scene and model painting. No prior experience is required, Madrigal said.

Madrigal, along with Sören Steding, professor of German; Ben Moore, professor of art; and Bobby Vrtis, associate professor of theatre, are organizing this camp together. The group has been playing tabletop role-playing games together in their free time for years.

The camp provides a new option for area students to experience life at Luther. For decades, Luther has hosted Dorian Summer Camp for musicians and sports camps for athletes. Madrigal is looking forward to providing this opportunity for high school students interested in the arts.

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