SIUE Hosts Family STEM Challenge for Student Parents

SIUE Hosts Family STEM Challenge for Student Parents

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's Student Parent Support Group, in collaboration with the SIUE STEM Center, hosted a Family STEM Challenge on Friday, March 27, at the STEM Center. The event aimed to engage student parents and their children in interactive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activities.

The Family STEM Challenge provided an opportunity for families to explore STEM concepts through hands-on experiments and games. Activities included measuring how much water a super absorbent polymer could hold, programming robots, identifying bones and organs in human bodies, creating a flyer that could stay suspended in a wind tunnel, practicing art with micropipettes, and examining insect specimens and slides under microscopes.

"One of the highlights of our outreach programming is putting tools that our undergraduates and graduates use in their labs into the hands of kids so they can start to envision themselves in the role of scientist or engineer at SIUE," said Emily Wonnacott-Stanley, Program Coordinator for Community Outreach at the STEM Center.

"The Family STEM Challenge Night truly created a warm and inspiring atmosphere for the Student Parent Support Group. The SIUE STEM Center did a wonderful job by providing fun and engaging science activities for both student parents and their children, creating memories that will stay with me," said Precious Osei, student parent in applied communication studies and graduate assistant in Student Affairs. "I'm genuinely glad to have been part of such a special event."

Lealia Williams, Student Care and Advocacy Coordinator, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, also noted the event's success: "The Family STEM Challenge Night was a hit! All of the children were engaged and playing different games. One game the children enjoyed playing was Wonder Robot. Some parents were even playing games and different activities. The Student Parent Support Group enjoys partnering with the SIUE STEM Center."

The event attracted nearly 30 participants, fostering an energetic and engaging atmosphere. Student workers Devin and Sage supported the activities, sharing their enthusiasm for STEM with attending families.

"We were so happy to support student families through our STEM activities during the Family STEM Challenge," said Wonnacott-Stanley. "Creating welcoming opportunities for families to engage with STEM is something we truly value, and it was a joy to see students and their families exploring, learning, and having fun together."

The Family STEM Challenge aligns with SIUE's commitment to providing inclusive educational experiences and supporting student parents in balancing academic and family responsibilities.

Photos by Emily Wonnacott-Stanley and Lealia Williams