The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at SC4's Port Huron campus. It is free and open to the public thanks to donations and grants, SC4 Chief Marketing Officer Kristin Copenhaver said.
Experiences and activities will take place throughout SC4's Fieldhouse and Clara E. Mackenzie Building/Experience Center, which includes the Challenger Learning Center at SC4, the Dr. Bassam H. Nasr Natural Science Museum, a live sturgeon exhibit, virtual reality experience, health activities, exploration stations and bird and mineral galleries, a recent news release states.
"Some of the many exhibits and experiences will include virtual reality experiences, robotics technology, virtual anatomy dissection, live animal and wildlife exhibit, rocket launches, liquid nitrogen experiments, Challenger Learning Center mini-missions and much more," Copenhaver said.
She said SC4 recently received $955,000 for the Challenger Learning Center and Experience Center, and that it also just expanded mission programming with Operation Comet.
"SC4 STEM Fest will feature sneak peek mini-missions," she said. "A full mission experience involves one group of about 18 to 34 guests and takes about 2.5 hours. For our STEM Fest event, we're providing guests with a preview experience. Our full missions are available for booking anytime outside of STEM Fest."
Copenhaver noted that guests are welcome to stay for the entire 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. event or just drop in for as long as schedules allow.
"We want to inspire the next generation of leaders and innovators in STEM so that they can help solve challenges and have greater career opportunities," SC4 President Dr. Deborah A. Snyder said in the release. "We're proud to collaborate with Michigan Tech's Mind Trekkers, the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum and the Leslie Science and Nature Center to bring this incredible event to southeast Michigan. It will have a positive impact on our region, now and in the future."
Mind Trekkers is a flagship program of Michigan Technological University's Center for Educational Outreach. Powered by undergraduate and graduate student guides, Mind Trekkers travels across the country to deliver high-energy, hands-on STEM demonstrations to learners of all ages, inspiring them to pursue post-secondary education.
"Mind Trekkers convenes communities in a shared mission to spark curiosity," Cassy Tefft de Muñoz, executive director of enrollment initiatives at Michigan Technological University, said in the release. "We are thrilled to partner with SC4 to bring the program to Port Huron and amplify the strong STEM ecosystem already present in the region. The SC4 STEM Fest is just one way that SC4 and Michigan Tech are working together to create educational opportunities for youth to access future college and career pathways."
"We know the power of hands-on learning to inspire and open the door of possibility for everyone, young and old alike," added Susan Westhoff, chief operating officer for the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum and Leslie Science and Nature Center. "Every one of us is a scientist, because we all hold the power of curiosity, of wanting to understand 'why' and 'how.' Come out to this fantastic day of exploration, where you are encouraged to ask, to discover, and to have fun."
Copenhaver said that thanks to the leadership of Snyder and the SC4 Board of Trustees, the college has been focused on providing great access to STEM activities for "quite some time now."
"We launched the Experience Center in 2018 and since then have been welcoming many guests for hands-on activities and experiences that ignite a passion for STEM learning and show learners what's possible," she said. "In April 2022, we added to our offerings by launching the only Challenger Learning Center in Michigan at SC4. Since its launch, we have welcomed more than 2,500 students, educators, administrators, community members, employers and employees, friends and many more from more than about 100 zip codes throughout Michigan, the U.S. and Canada. We've had many learners in our own county, and we continue to welcome more from southeast Michigan and beyond."
Copenhaver said organizers are expecting a large crowd, and current SC4 STEM Fest attendee registrations come from more than 80 zip codes in Michigan and Canada.
"We want to provide a high-quality, fun, unique and engaging event that instills passion for and brings awareness to a wide variety of STEM topics and careers," she said. "We need future leaders and innovators in STEM, and events and opportunities like SC4 STEM Fest can help illustrate career paths and possibilities."
She said that anyone interested in supporting STEM Fest and STEM-based experiences at SC4 can do so via sc4.edu/give.
"We welcome everyone to attend SC4 STEM Fest," Copenhaver said. "It'll be the largest event we've had and we look forward to welcoming our friends from Michigan Tech, Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, the Leslie Science and Nature Center — and from all around — to offer our community and region this caliber of event."
For more information or to register, visit sc4.edu/stem-fest.
©2023 Voice News, New Baltimore, Mich. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
