August 27, 2024
Summer Ventures introduces STEM students to campus life
For a month this summer, 46 high school students experienced life as a college student during the Summer Ventures program.
Through the Summer Ventures in Science and Mathematics, students enrolled in one of four courses at ECU: archaeological field methods, physics, DNA fingerprinting and neuroscience. While their first week was virtual coursework, students moved into White Residence Hall on June 30 for hands-on learning.
“I really love getting into the lab and having these opportunities to immerse myself into doing individual scientific research,” said Maddie Woodhouse, a rising junior at GLOW Academy who took DNA fingerprinting.
For Caroline Cates, a rising junior at Roxboro Community School, hands-on experience meant venturing off ECU’s campus. Cates was enrolled in archaeological field methods, which took students to a site in Pikesville.
“The first week and a half we spent going to local graveyards where parts of them have been in disrepair,” Cates said. “What ECU’s archaeology program has done in the past with one of the cemeteries were at was to record all the headstones and make a virtual map of the cemetery for all the families who visit, so they know exactly where they headstones were.”
In each course, students had to work on a final research project that would be presented on the last day of the program. For many students, this was a fairly new experience.
“I’ve never actually had to write a full research paper until now,” said Ashton Orr, a rising junior at Corinth Holders High School who took neuroscience. “Getting this experience now isn’t just going to help me throughout the rest of high school, but also in college.”
These experiences also shaped students’ plans for their futures after high school.
“I’ve always been set on majoring in English or journalism, but I really wanted to see what was available to me in the science field,” Cates said. “After writing a real research paper and doing real experiments in the lab, I’m interested in being able to combine my love of writing with science and maybe be a scientific journalist or write for a scientific magazine.”
Many of the students noted that the community aspect of the program was invaluable to them. When not in class, students participated in an array of activities, including game nights, tours of campus and facilities, a talent show, and more.
“There were so many different backgrounds,” said Aashish Anantharaman, a rising senior at Panther Creek High School who enrolled in physics. “In Wake County, everyone is from there usually.”
Orr agreed, noting that the opportunity to meet and network with many different people was a main reason for him choosing the program.
“It’s not only about the learning,” Orr said. “It’s also about meeting new people. Learning is a big part of it, but the biggest part from my point of view is meeting everyone. I’ve made connections with professors here.”