Kicking off the new academic year with a spate of new programming is the WCU Center for STEM Inclusion, an academic enrichment center dedicated to empowering southeastern Pennsylvania’s K-12 children and youth with untapped potential to boldly pursue fields in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Among the Center’s new offerings are the following:

• STEM Outreach Ambassadors: West Chester University (WCU) has tapped into the Federal Work-Study Program to develop a cohort of trained STEM undergraduate students who can lead and participate in outreach events. The STEM undergraduate students will serve as mentors to the K-12 students that the Center reaches out to.
• STEM Catering Service: WCU faculty and undergraduate students will bring the science to the students, with all equipment and supplies to perform hands-on college-level experiments to middle and high school classes.
• Strategic STEM-Focused Dual Enrollment Offerings: WCU is actively working with its high school and nonprofit partners to explore dual enrollment opportunities to support students from traditionally underrepresented groups in STEM. Many high schools in lower-income districts do not offer AP courses in precalculus, calculus, or statistics, which are critical gateway courses for students hoping to enter a STEM field. The goal will be for the students to earn high school and college credit by taking this course from a WCU faculty member. A head start will be given to the students as they begin their journey toward a STEM career.

The new programs expand on the Center’s impact, having reached more than 3,000 students over the past three years through hands-on activities such as Super Science Saturday, Science of Learning Series, Summer Nanoscience Camp, Evening STEMersion Workshops, and Smart Rover Coding Workshops.

“The Center for STEM Inclusion provides K-12 students not only access to excellent university faculty but also access to undergraduate students who can speak to future educational opportunities,” stated Dr. Jessica OShaughnessy, Dean of West Chester University’s College of the Sciences and Mathematics. “We are excited about the opportunity to work with a diverse group of students, opening the door to new ideas in STEM fields and expanding workforce opportunities in the region.”

The Center for STEM Inclusion has the potential to be a game changer for the region by offering workforce education and hands-on training in high-demand, high-paying fields such as computer science, computer engineering, semiconductor manufacturing, biomedical engineering, and quantum information to students starting in elementary school.

WCU is also partnering with local universities to offer new 3-2 master’s degree programs in Quantum Science & Engineering and Materials Science & Engineering. Programs such as these, and future programs in the works, open up new and affordable paths for students to enter these emerging high-demand fields.

Dedicated to breaking down systemic barriers to student success and establishing a diverse STEM workforce, the WCU Center for STEM Inclusion links experts in secondary and higher education, industry, government, and education-focused non-profit organizations directly with students from diverse backgrounds, including those from families with low socioeconomic means and historically excluded groups. These nurturing partnerships yield the vital resources and support that students need to successfully pursue STEM careers. Currently, the Center for STEM Inclusion is partnering with more than 20 schools in southeastern Pennsylvania as well as several local nonprofit organizations. More partners are encouraged to join in.

Led by West Chester University Professor of Physics and Engineering Dr. Brandon J. Mitchell, the WCU Center for STEM Inclusion has been designed as a dynamic outreach, research, and mentorship program that guides students successfully from elementary school to high school and then through a bachelor’s degree in STEM. The program establishes a chain of mentorship between grades 3-12 students, undergraduates, and faculty/industry partners.

“Along the way, the students participating in the Center’s programming clearly see every next step in their path toward a STEM career with the guidance and support needed to be successful,” stated Mitchell. “In addition to possibly serving as a national model for addressing achievement gaps, our work can significantly help meet STEM employment needs, as well as work to alleviate the cost of attendance for students pursuing and completing STEM degrees who are low-income and come from groups typically underrepresented in STEM fields.”

Underscoring the Center’s approach, Mitchell stresses the Center’s STEM inclusion formula — engage, motivate, expose, support, and inform the students throughout their experiences.

“In grades 3-7, we engage students in STEM ideas and motivate them to learn more about STEM,” Mitchell said. “In middle and high school, we expose them to modern STEM fields and practices and inform them about the modern STEM workforce, as well as what it takes to get them there.

“When students join WCU, we support them with bridge programs, tutoring, and peer mentoring. In their final years at WCU, we expose them to potential career options and inform them on how to apply for jobs with resume workshops, mock interviews, and career fairs.”

Connecting the dots at all entry points, the Center for STEM Inclusion incorporates partners, such as local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions, where they are most needed. Partners play a critical role in supporting students along their journey by helping to provide food and transportation; donating supplies and consumables, such as chemicals and electrodes; providing scholarships; as well as lending additional administrative support.

Dr. Abbie Ganas, Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Assistant Chair of the STEM Outreach Committee, stated, “At the WCU Center for STEM Inclusion, we are committed to helping all students pursue pathways that can lead to rewarding careers in growing, high-impact fields where talented professionals from all backgrounds are needed more than ever.”

Learn more about the WCU Center for STEM Inclusion and how to partner with the Center at West Chester University, the largest member of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. Founded in 1871, West Chester University is a comprehensive public institution offering a diverse range of more than 180 academic opportunities in 40 fields of study across undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. In addition to the main campus in West Chester, the University offers programs through its graduate center, the campus in Philadelphia, and online.