More than $1.26 million awarded to 18 colleges and universities to host STEM camps
AUSTIN – The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) awarded 18 grants totaling more than $1.26 million to Texas universities and community colleges for summer youth camps that focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) through the Governor’s Summer Merit Program. The grants provide the opportunity for 1,351 students, ages 14 to 21, to attend camps that will help prepare them for future high-skill, high-demand jobs.
“The Governor’s Summer Merit Program and the Texas Workforce Commission provide valuable tools in training students to excel, and I am proud of our colleges and universities for providing the STEM-based training that our students will need to compete in a 21st century economy,” said Governor Greg Abbott. “As our state’s workforce becomes more technologically advanced, the success of Texas depends on the skills these young minds will contribute to the growth of our workforce.”
Administered by TWC, the effort is part of the Governor’s Summer Merit Program, which aims to inspire Texas youth to pursue STEM-related careers. The camps introduce students to advanced technologies and manufacturing, aerospace and defense, biotechnology and life sciences, information and computer technology and energy.
“TWC is proud to support these wonderful opportunities for students participating in the Governor’s Summer Merit Program to gain valuable skills through STEM education and career exploration,” said TWC Chairman Andres Alcantar. “Thanks to the contributions of our university and community college grantees, students will be better positioned for future success in high-demand careers in Texas’ dynamic economy.”
Several of the camps are specifically targeted to encourage young women and minorities to pursue further education and careers in STEM fields.
“It is important to provide young bright Texans who are interested in STEM fields with the opportunity to prepare for future careers in innovative industries,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Ruth R. Hughs, “The Governor’s Summer Merit Program will also provide our Texas employers with a highly skilled talent pipeline.”
Some students will have the opportunity to take field trips that will give them access to high-tech equipment, such as 3-D printers and electron telescopes, while others will visit science and engineering facilities and have the opportunity to meet and speak with industry professionals.
“TWC supports programs that give students a head start toward the careers that will lead to economic prosperity for Texas and the Governor’s Summer Merit Program does just that,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez.
The Summer Merit Program scholarships awarded to 18 grant recipients are:
- Alamo College District Northeast Lakeview College, $60,132 – 48 scholarships for the SeaPerch Camps. These camps will provide 48 hours of STEM focused educational experiences that will include building an underwater robot using the U.S. Navy’s unique SeaPerch robotics program.
- Eastfield College, $27,693 – 60 scholarships for the G-STEM Camps for students who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM careers. Camps include Teens Accounting, Cybersecurity Technology, 3-D with Computer Aided Drafting Design and Electron Robotics.
- Houston Community College (HCC), $99,610 – 50 scholarships for a STEM Summer Camp at the HCC Southwest College to encourage more students to pursue STEM-related careers.
- Lamar University, $100,000, – 56 scholarships for a summer camp for students interested in environmental science, digital technology and mechanical engineering.
- Southern Methodist University, $100,000 – 100 scholarships for STEM Summer Camps for students interested in advanced robotics, quad copters and space launches.
- St. Mary’s University of San Antonio, $65,605 – 80 scholarships for engineering summer camps that will raise student’s interest in STEM areas. The instruction will include robotics, programming and operations research.
- Tarleton State University, $38,900 – 32 scholarships for the 2017 Physics Camp, a two week co-educational residential summer camp for high school students interested in improving their knowledge in science and mathematics.
- Tarrant County College, $75,967 – 147 scholarships for STEM-focused summer day camps at three of the College’s five physical campuses. Camps include: Career Exploration, Mathletics, STEM Entrepreneurship and Latina STEM Fellowship Camp.
- Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), $29,140 – 35 scholarships for the TEES BioFORCE camps. Students will learn about cutting-edge research, medical discoveries and bio manufacturing to prepare them for college programs.
- Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), $41,557 – 40 scholarships for the TEEX Cyber Innovation Summer Camp. Students will learn about computer hardware, secure software/application development, encryption/decryption, cybersecurity and coding.
- Texas A&M University, $100,000 – 75 scholarships for the Aggie STEM Camps. Students will learn about STEM activities that are product driven with sale and marketing application potential.
- Texas Southmost College, $90,000 – 100 scholarships for the Closing the GAPS (Girls Aren’t Pursuing Science) Institute: A Summer Institute to Foster Women Scientists and Engineers. Summer camps will expose students to activities in anatomy, mechanical applications and neuroscience fields.
- The University of Texas at Austin, $100,000 – 200 scholarships for UT Austin to host camps in engineering and sciences that strive to increase the number and diversity of students studying STEM fields of computer science, engineering and geology.
- The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, $79,480 – 51 scholarships for summer camps including the Summer STEM Camp, the High School Summer Research Program and the Summer Biomedical and Health Careers Academy.
- The University of Texas San Antonio, $96,427 – 103 scholarships for the pre-freshman Engineering Program (PREP) that will support increasing the number of middle and high school PREP students (who are at least 14 years of age) who participate in each year of PREP.
- The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, $58,013 – 60 scholarships for STARS Camps with concentrations in Biotech, Chemistry and Physics.
- University of Houston-Clear Lake, $86,190 – 89 scholarships for the Summer Academy program to build strong academic, hands-on learning opportunities for students in the areas of medical, game design information and computer technologies.
- Victoria College, $52,888 – 25 scholarships for the Texas Pre-freshman Engineering Program (TexPREP), a math-based learning opportunity for junior high students to learn about STEM careers while earning high school elective credits.