OBU Invites High School Students to STEM Camp

With a grant from the Kirkpatrick Foundation, OBU will launch a summer camp in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and the university is seeking high school students in Pottawatomie County to apply for the inaugural camp.

The program, called the Summer Institute at OBU, will run from June 24-July 19, 2013. Cost for the program is $110 per student. The Summer Institute will be taught by OBU faculty and undergraduates. Over a four-week period, students will be introduced to "learning via discovery" through modules in physics, electrical engineering, computer science, mechanical engineering and math.

The goal of the Summer Institute at OBU is to develop knowledge of and enthusiasm for various career paths in STEM areas, said Dr. Renita Murimi, assistant professor of computer science in OBU's Paul Dickinson College of Business, who serves as the program's director.

"Using novel educational techniques not usually found in traditional classroom settings, the program will motivate students using robotics, engineering simple and complex systems as well as programming," Murimi said. "Activities involving teamwork will be central, helping students develop leadership skills and self-esteem while also academically increasing their college-readiness."

The grant proposal for the camp was prepared by Murimi and Robin Scarberry, director of grants and prospect research in the Office of University Advancement. Murimi served as the lead of the Summer Engineering component of the Pre-College Consortium for Higher Education in Newark, N.J., for four years. She is the recipient of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grand Challenges Explorations Grant in 2011.

The Kirkpatrick Foundation, founded in 1955 by John and Eleanor Kirkpatrick, is a private family foundation located in Oklahoma City. With a legacy of giving in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, the foundation continues to fund arts, culture, education, animal concerns, and environmental and preservation organizations today. The Kirkpatrick Foundation distributes approximately $2 million annually in grants and charitable activities, and to date has given more than $60 million.

Camp times are 9 a.m.-1 p.m. each day. Deadline for application is May 31.

Questions may be directed to Murimi at renita.murimi@okbu.edu.