A successful summer
Tech\'s SYP wraps up
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HOUGHTON -- Hundreds of middle and high school students from 34 states and four countries to came Michigan Technological University for the University’s Summer Youth Programs (SYP) in June and July.
As the program wraped up, instructors, counselors and staff were tearing things down and preparing for the fall semester. SYP classes like the ever popular aerospace engineering program, video game coding, robotics, AI, chemistry and women in engineering were attended enthusiastically by visiting students.
Tech’s Center for Educational Outreach Director Brad Wells said out of all the programs and classes offered, one stood out above the rest. "I would say our biggest hitter this year had to have been our aerospace engineering program," he said. "We actually had filled three weeks of classes for that. So we had about 60 students on campus for aerospace engineering this summer."
Students in the aerospace program visited Orbion in Houghton to learn more about the industry and launched their model rockets at Gay Sands. Wells said the majority of the students stayed on campus. They got to see firsthand what the life of a college student is like.
"They had the opportunity to come and see what it's like to live on a college campus to gain some independence," he said. "For some of these students, it's probably their first time away from home."
Wells said the SYP is a good way for students to gauge their interests on a variety of topics in a non-committal way.
"One of the things I think is so cool about SYP is that it gives students the opportunity to have these relatively low stake chances to see if something is right for them," he said. "Those little opportunities to try something new, spark curiosity and explore your interests are just so huge."
The Center for Educational Outreach is now preparing to transition out of SYP to its fall offerings. Its goal is to continually support those in middle and high school who are interested in Tech, or those interested in any secondary education.
The Center will begin its fall academic-interest push through its Mind Trekkers shows. They will be in Escanaba on Oct. 14 and Dec. 3 in Houghton to demonstrate engineering principles and engage students in their interests.
It's a collaboration with UP Michigan Works Wells said he is particularly fond of and a great way to engage kids with engineering.
"We're hoping to see in the neighborhood of 1,500 to 2,000 students between the two events," he said.