AWARD YEAR: 2022

FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY

DIRECTOR: JUSTIN GRAHAM

PROJECT TITLE: FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY'S STEM ENRICHMENT AND EXPLORATION CAMP (FSU-SEEC)

There are a limited number of hands-on opportunities for high school students to explore STEM and related careers. The opportunities that do exist for high school students are typically unpaid and not a top choice for underrepresented and economically disadvantage students that benefit from paid opportunities. Instead, students decide to find employment in a minimum wage job instead of following their passion for STEM. This creates an educational and experience gap compared to their peers who are not affected by financial concerns. Therefore, the proposed project to establish the Fayetteville State University STEM Enrichment and Exploration Camp (FSU-SEEC) aims to address this gap. The proposed project will establish a four-week summer camp with a monthly Saturday academy available to Cumberland County minority high school students interested in STEM. This three-year project is designed to engage cohorts of twenty-four students to foster enthusiasm for science and communicating their science understandings.

The summer camp will be hosted on the campus of Fayetteville State University and directly address the inequities of marginalized groups by assessing the amount of science capital local high school students and ensuring we enhance, cultivate, and grow their science capital and foster their science identity. To achieve this objective, we will use microbiology and geospatial science to deliver science capital. STEM activities will be conducted in four phases which will provide a robust and dynamic range of learning opportunities for students. These activities range from virtual reality pedagogy, hands on scientific applications in the laboratory, microbiology focused research project, in the field geospatial training, and seminars with STEM professionals to learn about STEM careers. Collectively, this summer camp will develop student understandings of science and the scientific process through inquiry-based science, technology, and math.

We aim to cultivate interest and confidence for students to follow STEM aspirations which will lead to a more diverse STEM field. The funding of this proposal will not only aid in STEM development in historically marginalized groups in Cumberland County but will serve as a model for other colleges to use to enhance STEM development in their respective school districts.

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