STEM Scholars Academy is designed to help current high school students who might be interested in pursuing a science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) career prepare for college-level courses. Students who will be sophomores or juniors in the fall of 2016 are eligible to apply and must commit to completing the entire summer session and continue to meet with mentors throughout the 2016-17 school year. Students selected for the Academy will receive one credit hour of Independent Study from ECC. The cost is $95.
Students will spend time with various ECC science instructors participating in activities that will expand their experience and knowledge of STEM subjects. Topics will include: lab safety, biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, physics, engineering, and robotics. During the Academy, students will work with an ECC instructor to identify a direction they would like to further investigate. At the conclusion, each student will choose an ECC faculty mentor who he or she will continue to work with on a STEM related topic during the upcoming school year.
“Last summer was the first time we offered the STEM Scholars Academy,” noted Dr. Fatemeh Nichols, chair of ECC’s science and engineering division. “We had nine great students participate and they commented that the activities we completed really opened their eyes to the world of science and mathematics.”
Interested students should complete the application available online at www.eastcentral.edu/science/ and submit a high school transcript along with a one page typed essay on their interests and goals in the STEM field. Those three items should be mailed to ECC’s Science & Engineering Division at 1964 Prairie Dell Road, Union, MO 63084. Students selected to participate will be notified after May 6.
Individuals with questions about the STEM Scholars Academy should contact Nichols at 636-584-6626 or Sarah Havens, biology/health science instructor, at 636-584-6630. Students may also email [email protected].