STEM

STEM Camps for 8-12 Graders Offered at Rice University

• By Richard Chang
• 04/10/17

Rice University’s Tapia Center for Excellence and Equity will offer summer camps for middle and high school students aimed at increasing their interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) as future careers. The camps are targeting underrepresented populations in STEM fields.

School districts may use Title I funds to send students who have an interest in and aptitude for STEM. Camps are one week long and run from June 4 until July 29, and are open to students entering eighth through 12th grade. This will be the third year of Tapia Camps, with the goal of hosting up to 2,000 students this summer. Enrollment is now open and will continue through mid-May. The price for each weeklong camp is $995 per attendee.

Campers will live in university dorms, interact with top scientists, work in project-based learning groups, tour NASA and engage with peers and Rice STEM students. They will also develop skills on communications and preparing for college during a fun and active week on campus.

“Tapia Camps open the doors of a top-tier institution to students who may never have had opportunities to advance despite their abilities, motivation and good grades,” said Jaime Rodriguez, executive director of the Tapia Camps, in a statement. “Many Tapia Campers are in the top 10 percent of their classes yet have never been to summer programs or programs at a university due to a lack of family resources.”
The Tapia Center was named after Dr. Richard Tapia, a professor and mathematician, who is known for his research in computational and mathematical sciences and has built a reputation for empowering underrepresented minorities to engage in their education. He has received the National Medal of Science from President Obama, was honored with the Vannevar Bush award from the National Science Board, and was named to the list of 50 Most Important Hispanics in Technology and Business, along with numerous other awards and recognitions.

To register or for more information, contact Jaime Rodriguez, tapiacenter@rice.edu or (202) 905-3652.