CAC hosts summer STEM program high school students

Central Arizona College is giving high school students the chance to continue their education during the summer with STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics – program. Chemistry, biology and engineering camps have been held this month at CAC’s San Tan and Maricopa campuses.

The STEM Program at Central Arizona College is financed 100 percent by a five-year Federal HSI-STEM grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The total federal funds invested in program total $3,388,503.

“The focus of the grant is to encourage underserved populations,” STEM program coordinator Sharon Wisniewski said. “We're a Hispanic-serving college so it's actually to encourage Hispanic and low income students to follow STEM pathways.”

Wisniewski emphasized the camp is not exclusive to minorities or low income students and that all incoming ninth-grade students to recent high school graduates are considered. The grant also came with a requirement for Central Arizona College to begin an associate-degree program in biotechnology.

The students seem to be really enjoying the content and getting the chance to learn on a college campus, said biology instructor George Carpenter. The program has also partnered with the USDA Research Center in Maricopa. Students took a field trip to the center to see biotechnology and research in action.

“There's a big future for young minds to get involved in biotechnology,” Carpenter said. “We focus on the things that are most interesting to students.”***ADVERTISEMENT***