Engaging high school students in an informal STEM education program

The CSUSM NASA MUREP Aerospace Academy seeks to address the national and regional need to increase the number and diversity of students pursuing STEM careers. Through afterschool sessions, weekend STEM Summits, and an end of the school year capstone event, this program engages a diverse group of local high school students in hands-on STEM activities. The program also emphasizes building relationships with undergraduate students and developing college and career readiness. Central to the program's design are undergraduate near-peer mentors, who facilitate activities and serve as role models to promote STEM degree attainment and career pathways. Program evaluation indicates that participants learned science and technology concepts, have increased interest in taking future STEM classes, higher confidence in pursuing STEM careers, and increased belief that "people like me can have a successful career in STEM fields". We will describe the program and highlight the impact of near-peer mentorship and experiential learning in preparing students for future success in STEM.