{"677864":{"#nid":"677864","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Bridge to Employment Program Shows Students How STEM Can Shape Their Future","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/gtcoe_wide\/public\/2024-10\/Bridge-to-Employment-Group-9953-banner.jpg?itok=8zflQC19\u0022 alt=\u0022Group photo of Bridge to Employment participants in a building atrium\u0022 width=\u00221200\u0022 height=\u0022473\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn a quiet Saturday morning, while many high school students were sleeping in or making weekend plans, Rhyland Oneill and Axum Nickerson were sitting in a college classroom, fully immersed in the story of a guest speaker who had overcome immense obstacles to achieve success.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese two juniors are among nearly 50 high school students spending one Saturday a month at Georgia Tech in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/projectengages.gatech.edu\/bridge-to-employment\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ea new program called Bridge to Employment\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (BTE). Yet for Oneill and Nickerson, the program is more than just a monthly commitment \u2014 it\u2019s a glimpse into career paths and opportunities they might never have imagined.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough hands-on activities, mentorship, and field trips to places like the Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville, BTE is showing students from underserved communities how science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) can shape their futures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELaunched in October 2023 through a partnership with Johnson \u0026amp; Johnson, the BTE program connects high school students from historically marginalized and underrepresented communities to STEM careers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt each monthly session, about a dozen Johnson \u0026amp; Johnson volunteers, along with professionals from various fields, lead students through workshops, field trips, and guest lectures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBTE is a national program that works with students for three years starting in 10th grade. The program Georgia Tech has a unique flavor however: It\u2019s the only site bringing students to a college campus rather than going to their schools.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cYou can\u2019t see yourself in a college environment if you\u2019ve never been there,\u201d said Lakeita Servance, assistant\u0026nbsp;director of K-20 programs in the College of Engineering. \u201cOur goal is to make them feel comfortable here and show them what\u2019s possible when they put in the effort.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EServance said this approach gives students positive experience a college environment and makes Georgia Tech a more familiar place.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/gtcoe_wide\/public\/2024-10\/Bridge-to-Employment-pipette-9868-h.jpg?itok=-0Ki7tbb\u0022 alt=\u0022A student at a table holding a pipette over a green tray of samples. \u0022 width=\u00221200\u0022 height=\u0022801\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA student practices using a pipette to work with samples. (Photo: Jihoon Kim)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to STEM activities and exposure, the program also focuses on college readiness \u2014\u0026nbsp; writing application essays, FAFSA and financial aid support, and preparing for college visits \u2014 particularly in the second year.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe want them to be ready for whatever path they choose \u2014 college, apprenticeships, or straight into careers. But it\u2019s about more than that. We\u2019re preparing them for life,\u201d Servance said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENickerson and Oneill, both sophomores when they started, had been thinking about studying engineering but weren\u2019t sure what that might look like.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI joined because my counselor recommended it, and I thought it would be good for my resume and college applications. But I didn\u2019t realize how much it would open my eyes to different career paths,\u201d Oneill said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENickerson echoed the sentiment: \u201cI thought I wanted to do just engineering, but now I see all these different ways I could pursue it.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/gtcoe_wide\/public\/2024-10\/Bridge-to-Employment-portable-pcr-test-9937-sq_0.jpg?itok=IEdGWoyD\u0022 alt=\u0022Two hands holding a smartphone over a box sitting on a small blue platform. On the screen, the camera app is showing a biological sample in the box. (Photo: Jihoon Kim)\u0022 width=\u00221200\u0022 height=\u00221200\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudents in the Bridge to Employment program participate in a variety of workshops and hands-on activities, like this one using a simple system and a smartphone to do electrophoresis tests. (Photo: Jihoon Kim)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe program\u2019s mix of guest speakers, field trips, and hands-on activities is helping the students understand the wide range of opportunities available in STEM.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBoth Oneill and Nickerson talked about how inspiring it was to hear speakers share stories of persevering through hardship to achieve impactful careers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of the most memorable moments for was a guest speaker\u2019s emotional account of overcoming poverty to become successful in STEM: \u201cIt motivated me to keep chasing my dreams,\u201d he reflected.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENickerson said that field trips, such as the visit to the Tellus Museum and a session on optics, were highlights of the program.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt gave us a chance to see the science in action, and it was eye-opening,\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to the BTE program, both Nickerson and Oneill have gotten involved in Georgia Tech\u2019s research-focused \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/projectengages.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EENGAGES program\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E for 11th and 12th graders.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOneill is working in John Blazeck\u2019s lab in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, while Nickerson is part of Edward Botchwey\u2019s lab in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBTE helped connect them to these opportunities earlier in their high school careers, allowing them to gain practical experience in real-world lab settings.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs the BTE program moves into its second year, and the focus on college readiness intensifies, Servance and the Johnson \u0026amp; Johnson volunteers will continue to guide students and help them gain the confidence and skills they\u2019ll needed for whatever path they choose.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Oneill and Nickerson, that future now seems full of possibilities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s made me more focused on going to a STEM-based college,\u201d Oneill said, \u201cand now I know there are so many different paths I could take.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBTE is a partnership with Johnson \u0026amp; Johnson to offer high schoolers from underserved communities hands-on experience and mentorship in STEM fields, providing a pathway to college and beyond.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"BTE is a partnership with Johnson \u0026 Johnson to offer high schoolers from underserved communities hands-on experience and mentorship in STEM fields, providing a pathway to college and beyond."}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-10-23 15:58:29","changed_gmt":"2024-10-23 16:06:53","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-10-23T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-10-23T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/10\/bridge-employment-program-shows-students-how-stem-can-shape-their-future","title":""}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDhanesh Amin\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}