Meredith Hosts STEM College for High School Students

Meredith College welcomed 12 high school students in June for the STEM College summer program. Students had the opportunity to earn college credits, expand their perspective on career paths in science, and experience campus life at Meredith. 

The curriculum focused on vaccine development with topics such as immunology, epidemiology, regulatory processes, and clinical trial design and evaluation. Students gained hands-on experience in the laboratory, including extracting DNA from the bacterium E. coli. Additionally, guest speakers from the Duke Human Vaccine Institute offered insights into working in the field and provided an overview of their research. 

“By hearing the guest speakers, I could explore different careers and see if they were for me,” said a participant. 

“I want to be a prosthetist,” said another participant. “Learning about the processes of how different things are made has boosted my confidence and makes me want to do it even more.”    

The two-week program culminated in a collaborative capstone presentation of a clinical trial design for a proposed vaccine. 

“The hands-on laboratory and collaborative work environment provided a more accurate representation of professional STEM fields for high school students,” said Professor of Biology Jason Andrus. “This was definitely challenging material for students, and we enjoyed seeing their confidence in their own abilities blossom by the end of the experience.” 

Learn more about Meredith STEM College.