Summertime on the campus of Elizabeth City State University is deceptively quiet. While the buzz of college students roaming the grounds and halls of the university has quieted, learning and exploring new worlds is happening every day, giving the region’s middle and high school students an opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of Science Technology Engineering and Math, or STEM.
Inside Dixon Hall, in the computer lab, Dr. Ellis Lawrence is directing a group of 12 high school students. This is the annual National Summer Transportation Institute, taking place on campuses across the country.
At ECSU, the institute is giving the region’s rising high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to focus on career awareness in the transportation industry. The students will spend the next four weeks in hands-on activities, as well as guest lectures, and field trips.
The program is an initiative of the Federal Highway Administration. It was created to address the needs of the future transportation workforce by advancing well-trained, qualified young men and women toward a STEM career.