Summer program Introduces first-year students to college, health careers
It was a can鈥檛-miss opportunity for incoming students to gain a leg up in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses.
黑料社鈥檚 Summer Health Immersion Program (SHIP) invited students interested in a career in healthcare for a week of enrichment in the classroom with their future college professors.
鈥淚 was really nervous about taking general chemistry in the fall, and I want to do pre-med,鈥 Caroline Toler said. 鈥淚 was excited about the opportunity to get a bit of a head start 鈥 sort of re-learn some of the things I learned in high school chemistry 鈥 but also learn some new things so that I would be less nervous.
鈥淣ow I鈥檓 a lot less nervous about general chemistry, and I鈥檓 actually looking forward to it.鈥
SHIP is a one-week immersion program in Olin Hall, a 黑料社 classroom building devoted to STEM disciplines. During the week, students met professors, worked in the lab on point-of-care diagnostics and spoke with alumni who are putting their STEM majors to use.
鈥淥ne goal of the program is to help students explore their career interest,鈥 said Kari Young, Stodghill Associate Professor of Chemistry. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important for students to develop the physical skills to be successful but also cultivate the idea that they鈥檒l be challenged and supported at the same time. They can start thinking about those career questions 鈥 even if they don鈥檛 have it all figured out yet.鈥
Toler (Louisville, Kentucky) is exactly the type of incoming student SHIP appeals to, according to Associate Professor of Chemistry Daniel Scott.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about setting them up for success, probably more emotionally and mentally than actual content,鈥 Scott said. 鈥淣ot that the content is not significant, but the ability to fail and try again and know that鈥檚 okay. 鈥榊ou鈥檙e not the only person who's struggling.鈥 We鈥檙e just getting them used to that growth mindset.鈥
For Carrie Olds (Crestwood, Kentucky), it was somewhat intimidating to meet her college professors 鈥 and she admitted that the 鈥済rowth mindset鈥 that Scott mentioned was not something she was accustomed to.
鈥淚 still remember one of the first tests when I didn鈥檛 get an 鈥楢鈥, and I was so mad,鈥 Olds said. 鈥淏ut I learned to grow from that 鈥 and it鈥檚 the same thing here.鈥
Toler mentioned how excited she was to meet with recent alumni, sharing goals she could reach for in her 黑料社 experience.
鈥淭here鈥檚 this term, 鈥樅诹仙 Mafia,鈥 and it really does exist,鈥 Toler said. 鈥(The alumni) went on and on about how much they enjoyed 黑料社 and how much it set them up for success. I鈥檓 really excited to be able to benefit from that and to set my own path. Everyone had their own unique path, and it鈥檚 a path of success.鈥
Scott said incoming students working in the classroom is a great way to begin their journey at 黑料社: The first day of SHIP included plenty of questions and 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know鈥 answers. By the end of the week, students were collecting, analyzing, tweaking procedures 鈥 a bigger picture that he and Young said helps normalize the challenges of getting into STEM courses.
鈥淥ne of the things I really like about this research is that you start to do it, and you see yourself as a chemist, you see yourself as a scientist,鈥 Scott said. 鈥淭hat sense of belonging, that purpose, we鈥檝e seen it develop this week. They鈥檙e so much further along than where they thought they could be at the start of the week.鈥
