Want STEM experience?

UNITE is a six week, pre-collegiate summer experience for talented high school students in STEM. Hosted by higher education institutions across the country, UNITE encourages students to pursue college majors and careers in engineering and other STEM-related fields through a program of focused hands-on rigorous academics, enrichment, and career exploration.

Operating on a two-year cycle (2020-2021), UNITE targets rising 9th through 12th grade students. Student applications for 2021 summer programs will be accepted in April through May 2021, depending on the program location. Students accepted into the program receive support and enrichment designed to best help them achieve their goals of higher education and careers in STEM.

Students from all backgrounds can participate in this STEM-enrichment program and get hands-on experience on programming. They gain the opportunity to work side by side with data-scientists and engineers in a computer science laboratory setting, gaining real-world research opportunities. The main goal of this program is to encourage students to partake in STEM related activities with the aim to spark their interest in these fields.

This time UNITE 2021 is being hosted virtually by the University of Arkansas under the guidance of Dr. Justin Zhan. The University of Arkansas provides an opportunity for students to learn, apply their knowledge, and evolve in the STEM fields.

“UNITE was an extremely rewarding experience. I learned how to divide and conquer a project with my team members. I learned how to look at our world in a mathematic and scientific manner. I would recommend this program to anyone– it was absolutely incredible.”  -UNITE

The Research & Engineering Apprenticeship Program (REAP) is a summer STEM program that places talented high school students from groups historically under-represented and underserved in STEM in research apprenticeships at colleges and universities. REAP apprentices work under the direct supervision of a mentor in a hands-on research project. REAP apprentices are exposed to the real world of research where they gain valuable mentorship and learn about education and career opportunities in STEM. REAP apprenticeships are 5-8 weeks in length (minimum of 200 hours) and apprentices receive a stipend. 

To apply for 2020 REAP program, please send your CV to Dr. Justin Zhan via Justin.zhan@unlv.edu.

The Department of Education (ED) invited the Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) to submit nominations for Presidential Scholars. The Presidential Scholars award is a prestigious, national award given to only 160  high school graduates per year. ED is looking to partner with AEOP and other like-minded programs to leverage student success and aid in providing a more diverse pool of candidates as distinguished from the traditional method of nomination selections. As a result of the association between AEOP and the Presidential Scholars Program, mentors and directors in JSHS, UNITE and REAP identify STEM-oriented students who have demonstrated significant independent effort, persistence and accomplishments despite barriers, hurdles to success or limited access to resources. Students participating in AEOP will be evaluated on various criteria such as academic performance, active participation in community services and leadership abilities etc., and are in high standing to be nominated for the Presidential Scholars award.