SIUE UBMS Students Explore Possibilities During STEM Career Day
Danajah Willis leans in, listens intently and takes notes, while blocking out the multiple conversations going on simultaneously around her in the crowded room. The high school junior hopes this 15-minute conversation with nursing professionals will help direct her future.
Willis was one of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS) Collinsville High School (CHS) students who participated in the program’s 5th Annual STEM Career Day on Wednesday, June 8 at Bluff Hall.
“This was a great opportunity for us to engage working professionals,” said Willis. “As a first-generation student, being able to see someone with the degree that you want is helpful.” The 4.0 GPA student wants to go into the nursing field or clinical psychology.
“I really enjoyed the nursing table,” she added. “The answers they gave were straightforward, and Dr. Jerrica Ampadu was very helpful.”
“Our STEM Career Day is structured to give students the opportunity to be in charge of their own career pathways,” said UBMS Program Director Desiree Tyus. “I am delighted that each year we have had tremendous support from SIUE faculty and staff in supporting our students and program. We had a total of 10 non-SIUE professionals participate, with two joining us online, including Dr. Jerome Byam, a trauma surgeon from Johns Hopkins University Hospital, and Terry Palmer, a nuclear engineer from Constellation energy company.”
“Our students were surprised to learn that more than half of the professionals also came from low-income, first-generation backgrounds, such as themselves,” she added.
Twenty-eight students and 23 professionals participated in the Career Day. For 15 minutes, three to four students sat at tables and peppered professionals with questions. After the buzzer sounded, students visited another one of 11 total tables. Students had their choice of selecting six tables during the brief, informative sessions.
The Career Day ended with a 15-minute Q&A panel, and each of the tables acknowledged one UBMS student that most impressed them during the interview sessions. The following students were recognized by the STEM professionals:
- Summer Anderson (freshman)
- Alexa Ortiz (freshman)
- Raiven Taylor (freshman)
- Fatima Gutierrez (sophomore)
- Danajah Willis (junior)
- Tremonte Dickerson (senior)
- Paulina Gutierrez (senior)
- Benjamin Simpkins (senior)
- Christian Smith (senior)
“The SIUE School of Nursing is intentionally working to increase the number of historically excluded and minoritized students who graduate from our program,” said Ampadu, PhD, RN, CCP, WE CARE Clinic director, director of Student Nurse Achievement Program, coordinator for diversity and associate professor. “A diverse workforce positively impacts health equity and ensures the provision of culturally competent care. Post-secondary experiences like Upward Bound’s Career Day influence high school students who plan to major in STEM disciplines. Attending this program allowed me to share my experiences in the profession and provide insight into our nursing program.”
“Programs such as Upward Bound and TRIO are extremely important, because they focus on assisting first generation students in realizing that opportunity exists beyond their current circumstances,” said John Cabage, PhD, chair and professor in the SIUE School of Engineering’s Department of Construction. “These students can assess a field where they believe they are passionate, and these programs help map a pathway to attain these goals. My sister was part of an Upward Bound program, and through this and other positive influences she is now a medical doctor working in a rural area of British Columbia.”
“Upward Bound helps establish trust in the process and provides mentorship and familiarity,” Cabage continued. “It allows students to perceive an outcome that they may have thought impossible.”
Conner Tegtmeier, a freshman, left Cabage’s table feeling excited about his possibilities.
“I’m interested in robotics. I’ve always liked how things worked,” said Tegtmeier, who plans to attend SIUE.
The SIUE Upward Bound Math & Science (UBMS) program helps youth prepare for higher education and serves students from Collinsville. Participants receive instruction in advanced mathematics and science during the school day, homework assistance and hands-on STEM workshops twice a week after school, and cultural, career and college preparation on Saturdays. During the summer, students participate in a six-week residential program that allows participants to reside on Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s campus and undergo college preparedness. Services provided prepare students for successful high school completion and entrance into post-secondary STEM degree programs. The program is designed to serve low-income and/or potential first-generation college students who are currently in grades 9-12. For more information about how you can get involved in our program, please visit us at collinsvilleubms.com.
Photos:
L-R: UBMS students Cassandra Angulo and Raiven Taylor, both freshmen, and Emily Dahl, a junior, listen to SIUE professionals at the nursing table.
L-R: UBMS students Hayden Honeycutt, a sophomore, and Giovanni Roman, a freshman, engage with a professional during a remote interview.
L-R: UBMS students Summer Anderson, a freshman, and Crystal Montalvo, a senior, get answers at the SIUE School of Pharmacy table.
