STEM Starter Academy

QCC student presentations at the Undergraduate Research Conference at UMASS Amherst
For more photos, visit the album

STEM Starter Academy (SSA) is a is a state-funded initiative to support community college efforts at all fifteen campuses to inform, engage, recruit, retain, and graduate significantly more students in STEM. The primary goal is to graduate more community students with STEM degrees and certificates so they can either enter the work force or transfer to a four-year institution. The secondary goal is to recruit more students into the STEM pipeline at the community colleges. At QCC the STEM Starter Academy works in a cross functional capacity with many programs on campus to increase STEM awareness, retention, enrollment and completion and these goals are best served if the entire QCC Campus is engaged. QCC’s strategy for STEM Starter Academy is embedding resources into areas of the campus that inform, enroll, retain, and see students through to completion.

STEM Starter Academy at QCC - 2019-2020

STEM-focused recruitment strategies emphasizing the exciting opportunities in engineering, technology, computing & information technology, sciences & math.
STEM-focused campus visits and events for prospective students, guidance counselors, teachers, families and community-based career counselors.
STEM College & Exploration Day: Spring - March 18, 2020. High school junior & seniors experience a variety of STEM workshops on campus.
Manufacturing Day on October 25: STEM Workshops
STEM Week October 22-26
STEM 2020 field trips:
- AbbVie Company Tour with the Mentoring students: February 11.
- IPG Photonics Company Tour: April 15-Canceled by IPG.
- Undergraduate Research Conference at UMASS Amherst & Campus Tour: April 24, 2020
- Other trips TBA
Academic STEM & Career advising to guide students in choosing the right career and academic pathway. Contact Jane Lesniewski; jlesniewski [at] qcc.mass.edu
Earth Day Celebration @ QCC on April 23. Presentations at 10am in room 109A HLC Bldg.
College & Career Fairs.
STEM Starter Academy Summer Program: July 8-July 30, 2020.
Student STEM Research Projects. Students presenting at the Undergraduate Research Conference at UMASS Amherst on April 24, 2020.
STEM Tutoring. Computer tutoring in the computer labs in Surp. Bldg.. ERG280 and CAD tutoring in the Quest Center, room 114
QCC Mentoring Program with Gabe Santer: gsantner [at] qcc.mass.edu

STEM News

	Peer-to-Peer Learning Delivers Big Dividends for All At QCC all it takes are two simple words – STUDENT SUCCESS. One way in which the college is supporting its students in succeeding is through student lab support technicians. Earlier this year several QCC students became lab support technicians in the college’s biology and chemistry labs thanks to funding from the “Increasing Diversity in STEM” grant award, which the college received... More...
	CIS Grads Hooked by Wakefly Digital Marketing Two talented QCC students who secured internships due to QCC’s Tech Apprentice program reeled in full-time employment with Wakefly, a digital marketing company located in Marlborough. The students were attracted to Wakefly through QCC’s Tech Apprentice program, a partnership between QCC’s Office of Career Services and faculty in the Computer Information Systems (CIS) program. This program prepares... More...
	Showing Tomorrow’s Adults the Excitement of Today's Science and Technology QCC students Brandon Won, Joyeuse Uwamahoro, Anthony Le, Alex Reno, along with Associate Professor of Electronics Engineering Technology Jacob Longacre and Professor of Computer Science Hao Loi participated in TouchTomorrow, a science, technology and robotics festival held at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). Mr. Won demonstrated and discussed... More...
	STEM Students of the Month – May Each month, the professors in QCC’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programs recognize and acknowledge the perseverance of one student in their perspective STEM areas. Below is the third group of STEM Students of the Month with a few comments from the professors who nominated them. They include: Science - Shayne Barton, nominated by Professor of Integrated Science... More...
	Gateway to College Students Work on Fabricating their Future Collaboration and partnerships both on and off campus are an important part of the educational process in the Gateway to College Program, according to Gateway to College Manager Marci Skillings.This is why classes such as the Introduction to Fab Lab Science are so vital. Recently 16 Gateway to College students completed the course, which was funded through a grant from the Stem... More...
	Scholarship Recipients Acknowledged at Reception A reception was held on April 22 to recognize 20 QCC students who each received a $1,000 scholarship this spring to support their studies in STEM programs. These scholarships were made possible through funding received from two state agencies: the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, which sponsored students through the Central Region Advanced Manufacturing Consortium; and the Massachusetts... More...
	CSET Student Orientation Yields Big Win For CSET Students Last summer a group of Computer Systems Engineering Technology (CSET) students went through a new student orientation to learn the ins and outs of college life at QCC; toured the campus and visited the labs; learned how to use the applications that will be a part of their curriculum, and discussed the different degree options. The two-day orientation was funded by a STEM Starter Academy Grant and those students who... More...
	STEM Summer Transfer Bridge Programs Announced A new program designed to support Massachusetts community college students in making a successful transition into public 4-year universities as transfer students is launching this summer, as part of the STEM Starter Academy. Students transferring from one of the 15 community colleges in Massachusetts to a state college or university in order to pursue a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field, can apply to a... More...
	STEM Students of the Month Each month, the professors in QCC’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) program recognize and acknowledge the perseverance of one student in their perspective STEM programs. Below is the second group of STEM Students of the Month with a few comments from the professors who nominated them. They include: Science – Erika Pillco, nominated by Assistant... More...
	QCC Energizes Students in Avanza STEM Expo On April 18, QCC staff and faculty brought STEM to life at the spring Avanza STEM Expo held by the Latino Education Institute at Worcester State University. The Expo offered seminars in various STEM topics along with a science fair event featuring different types of “hands-on” STEM experiences. Avanza translates roughly to “Get Moving," and the Expo certainly had people... More...