TWC Awards Grants For 2,007 Students To Attend High-Tech Summer Camps

More than $1.8 Million awarded to 27 colleges and universities to host STEM camps

 

AUSTIN – The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) awarded 27 grants totaling $1,821,958 to Texas universities and community colleges for summer youth camps that focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) through the Governor’s Summer Merit Program. The grants provide the opportunity for 2,007 students, ages 14 to 21, to attend camps that will help prepare them for future high-skill, high-demand jobs.

 

 

“Texas continues to be a leader in the global economy due in large part to our high-quality workforce,” said Governor Abbott. “The Summer Merit Program is a valuable tool in helping prepare the workforce of the future, and I am proud of our colleges and universities for providing the STEM-based training our students need to compete in a 21st century economy.”

 

 

Administered by TWC, the effort is part of the Governor’s Summer Merit Program, which aims to inspire Texas youth to pursue STEM-related careers. The camps introduce students to advanced technologies and manufacturing, aerospace and defense, biotechnology and life sciences, information and computer technology and energy.

 

 

“The Governor’s Summer Merit Program continues to offer our students unique opportunities to enhance their competence in STEM, positioning them for success in high-demand careers in Texas’ diverse economy,” said TWC Chairman Andres Alcantar. “This year’s university and community college partners are offering real world learning opportunities in a broad range of high demand fields that will prepare students for future success.”

 

 

Several of the camps are specifically targeted to encourage young women and minorities to pursue further education and careers in STEM fields.

 

 

“It is very exciting for the future of Texas to have young women and men interested in STEM fields as Texas employers continue to provide high-tech and high-demand careers,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Ruth R. Hughs. “By educating and enhancing young leaders’ knowledge of STEM careers, these summer programs can help ensure that our future workforce has the knowledge and skills needed to ensure Texas remains the best state to do business.”

 

 

Some students will have the opportunity to take field trips that will give them access to high-tech equipment, such as 3D printers and electron telescopes, while others will visit science and engineering facilities and have the opportunity to meet and speak with industry professionals.

 

 

“TWC supports programs that give students a head start toward the careers that will lead to economic prosperity for Texas and its residents, and the Governor’s Summer Merit Program does that,” said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez.

 

The Summer Merit Program scholarships awarded to 27 grant recipients are:

 

• University of North Texas, $63,000 – 80 scholarships for their robotics, game and app programming summer camps. The students will be divided into teams where they will choose from several templates of apps that will be provided.

 

• The University of Texas at Austin, $100,000 – 200 scholarships for UT Austin to host camps in engineering and sciences that strive to increase the number and diversity of students studying STEM fields of computer science, engineering and geology.

 

• Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), $100,000 – 150 scholarships for the TEES BioFORCE camps. Students will learn about cutting-edge research, medical discoveries and bio manufacturing to prepare them for college programs.

 

• Mary’s University of San Antonio, $70,544 – 80 scholarships for engineering summer camps that will raise student’s interest in STEM areas. The instruction will include robotics, programming and operations research.

 

• Northeast Lakeview College, $60,004 – 96 scholarships for Project SeaPerch, a project to promote the development of SeaPerch Robotics Teams at local middle and high schools. The project also provides out-of-school educational enrichment through participation in the US Navy SeaPerch Program.

 

• South Texas College, $44,019 – 60 scholarships for the Summer CyberCamp which prepares students for dual-credit courses offered during high school junior and senior years and will allow students to compete for high-skilled, high-demand STEM careers in the future.

 

• University of Houston-Downtown, $99,975 – 112 scholarships for STEM Prep Camps, which will target biotechnology, life sciences and chemical products. Sessions will target academic, workforce and higher education development.

 

• University of Houston-Clear Lake, $95,930 – 94 scholarships for the 2016 Summer Academy program to build strong academic, hands-on learning opportunities for students in the areas of biotechnology, life sciences and information and computer technologies.

 

• Mountain View College, $58,425 – 75 scholarships for a STEM Summer Program featuring a Mechatronics course in which campers will design and program a robot or unmanned vehicle. Students will demonstrate safety practices and interpersonal teamwork skills.

 

• The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, $49,770 – 48 scholarships for STARS Camps with concentrations in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

 

• Texas State University, $69,473 – 20 scholarships for the Mathworks Honors Summer Math Camp, which will develop the creativity and imagination of students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds through an in-depth immersion of higher-level mathematics and problem solving.

 

• Tarleton State University, $37,920 – 32 scholarships for the 2016 Physics Camp, a two week co- educational residential summer camp for high school students, ages 14 – 21, interested in improving their knowledge in science and mathematics.

 

• The University of Texas Medical Branch, $67,716 – 50 scholarships for summer camps, Summer STEM Camp (SSC), the High School Summer Research Program and the Summer Biomedical and Health Careers Academy.

 

• Victoria College, $51,888 – 25 scholarships for the Texas Pre-freshman Engineering Program (TexPREP), a math-based learning opportunity for junior high students to learn about STEM careers while earning high school elective credits.

 

• Tarrant County College, $98,490 – 92 scholarships for STEM-focused summer day camps at three of the College’s five physical campuses. Camps include: Career Exploration, Digital Media Production, Mathletics, PC Network Technician and Latina STEM Fellowship Camp.

 

• Eastfield College, $44,200 – 120 scholarships for the Engineering and Technology Summer STEM Camp for students ages 14-21 who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM careers.

 

• El Paso Community College, $100,000 – 60 scholarships for STEM Summer Camps to engage 14 – 21 year old middle and high school students to learn about STEM fields of study and potential life careers.

 

• Texas Southmost College, $27,468 – 20 scholarships for the Closing the GAPS (Girls Aren’t Pursuing Science) Institute: A Summer Institute to Foster Women Scientists and Engineers. Closing the GAPS summer institute will provide an opportunity for female participants.

 

• Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, $48,729 – 20 scholarships for the TEEX Digital Dreamers Cybersecurity Summer Camp will focus on teaching young people the technical aspects of secure computer programming practices necessary to secure applications against attacks and exploits.

 

• Austin Community College District, $21,788 – 30 scholarships for the Girls Get IT! Camp with concentration on hands-on experience designing age appropriate video games, introducing them to women in the gaming industry and help them develop confidence and skills with STEM subjects.

 

• Blinn College, $73,628 – 60 scholarships for Lessons in Mission Control Camp which will expose students to what it means to be a flight controller at a NASA space station.

 

• Brazosport College, $100,000 – 120 scholarships for the STEM Enrichment Camp featuring academic curriculums modified for their level of learning combined with fun activities conducted on the Brazosport College campus and augmented by various field trips.

 

• Hill College, $15,500 – 50 scholarships for The Hill College STEAM Engine summer camps that will expose students to hands-on-activities in the engineering and biosciences fields conducted by mastered level instructors.

 

• Houston Community College (HCC), $99,990 – 50 scholarships for a STEM Summer Camp at the HCC Southwest College to encourage more students to pursue STEM-related careers.

 

• San Jacinto College, $32,923 – 78 scholarships for the SeaAero Robotics (SAR) camps and the Teens, Trades and Transportation (3T) Camp. The purpose of both camps is to introduce students and their parents to STEM careers that fit regional industries and provide well paid, interesting careers.

 

• Texas Southern University, $93,574– 40 scholarships for the Biomedical Summer Scholars Academy which will teach students in STEM programs to cultivate interest and aptitude in STEM disciplines to then enter undergraduate programs and graduate in STEM fields.

 

• The University of Texas San Antonio, $97,554– 103 scholarships for the pre-freshman Engineering Program (PREP) that will support increasing the number of middle and high school PREP students (who are at least 14 years of age) who participate in each year of PREP.