A Camp to Inspire Careers: Would-Be Engineers Dive Deeper into the Field
Summer is a time for playing sports, going on vacation, and spending time with family and friends. At Widener, add to that launching rockets and controlling robots.
Those were experiences for local high school students who participated in the School of Engineering’s weeklong summer camp. The immersive program gave students hands-on experience in the biomedical, chemical, civil, electrical, mechanical, and robotics engineering disciplines.
Led by the engineering faculty and staff, the interactive sessions hosted activities ranging from launching bottle rockets and programming robots to designing bridges, while simultaneously learning about the engineering profession.
According to Peter Hryniewicz, associate teaching professor of mechanical engineering and program director, making that introduction to students ahead of college can deliver a deep impact.
“The main goal of offering engineering camps to younger students is for them to realize that engineering can be a fun and rewarding career, and to encourage them to pursue it,” said Hryniewicz.
Hosting events designed specifically to engage with younger students enables Widener’s schools and colleges to prepare students and their families with a better understanding of the available majors that can lead to successful careers.
Register Now for an Upcoming Engineering Camp
For DeShawn Lindsay, lessons learned during the camp expanded his knowledge of the different disciplines and helped him hone in on specific areas of interest.
The high school freshman and youngest participant explained how the experience helped to “narrow down my options in engineering to mechanical, electrical and robotics.”
Taqaysha Lindsay, DeShawn’s guardian, added that the lessons and projects underscored DeShawn’s initial interest in the field sparked at young age and left him eager to learn more.
“He was excited to come home and talk about what he did at camp,” Taqaysha said.
“I most definitely would recommend the camp, especially for parents with kids interested in STEM,” said Taqaysha. “It was an awesome experience.”
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