SHU Students Spend Summer Working as STEM Camp Counselors

University partners with Wakeman’s Boys & Girls Club to offer computer science, engineering fun

Four Sacred Heart University students who are enrolled in the School of Computer Science & Engineering spent their summer working as camp counselors as part of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) program.

The participating SHU students applied for the NSF program earlier this year. It provides valuable internship experiences and scholarships to help with tuition.

For the internship component, the rising sophomores—who are first-generation, commuter students—partnered with the Wakeman Boys & Girls Club of Bridgeport to offer STEM lessons to its campers. Mahmud Kandawala, Julia Piascik, Joaquin Camaran and Thiago Reis created curriculum and implemented it throughout the summer—sometimes tweaking lessons as they realized students preferred hands-on learning over lectures. The SHU counselors worked with the campers four days a week, mostly at the Boys & Girls Club, but sometimes taking field trips to the SHU IDEA Lab, a makerspace on SHU’s West Campus.

“This grant helped us support some brilliant students,” said Tolga Kaya, professor and director of the engineering program in the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology. “And now, this straight-A group of scholars are giving back to their very own communities by bringing their STEM knowledge to inner city kids. This circle of giving has been amazing to witness.”

Kevin Bowlyn, assistant professor of computer engineering said the grant not only enables scholars to explore a wide range of career choices in STEM, but it also encourages their participation in community service.

“Witnessing these accomplished scholars collaborating with the campers has been an incredibly inspiring experience,” Bowlyn said. “Their interaction with the campers has been so captivating that one camper even shared that this encounter has profoundly impacted them. Despite never having considered college before, they now aspire to attend SHU.”

On a hot and sticky July morning, middle school-aged campers tinkered with projects in the IDEA Lab. “I’ve never really done anything like this before,” said camper David Sanders, 13, as he watched a 3D printer churn out the keychain he designed. And that’s the point: offering young people new experiences.

Sanders said he enjoyed his time with the STEM counselors. He made Lego Mindstorms (robots based on Lego building blocks) and worked on Arduino microcontrollers for building digital devices. He said he even learned about coding. “It’s just fun to work on stuff,” he said.

The SHU students’ goal was to introduce the campers to STEM, said Piascik of Stamford. “We wanted students to have access to STEM and, at the end of the day or week, be able to talk about their accomplishments. We wanted them to say, ‘I made this, and I did this.’”

During the summer before her senior year of high school, Piascik attended a STEM camp offered through the organization Synchrony in Stamford. She said it was life-changing. “I switched my major because of it,” Piascik said. “I was really inspired by it, and I want other kids to have that experience before they even get to high school.”

Her fellow SHU participants feel the same. “Teaching STEM to middle schoolers is a crucial endeavor, and I genuinely believe it has a significant impact on their development,” said Kandawala, a Bridgeport resident. “These educational programs inspire young minds to explore the fascinating world of STEM. As the campers work together, share ideas and communicate effectively, they are building essential skills for their future careers and lives.”

Kandawala said the counselor position also served as an important stepping stone toward his goal of becoming a software engineer. “The experience I gained from teaching and guiding students in STEM subjects is directly applicable to the technical and interpersonal skills required in the software engineering field. I am confident this experience will make me a more well-rounded and competent professional in the future,” he said.

The SHU students agreed the internship was worthwhile for various personal and professional reasons. “I enjoyed feeling as if I left a positive impact on the students. The campers were funny, bright and a joy to work with. Acting as their teacher really put into perspective what kind of skills it takes to teach. The experience has left me with a greater appreciation for those who have that role,” Reis said.

The four SHU students are grateful to their professors, especially Kaya and Bowlyn who encouraged them to apply for the scholarship and provided guidance and support throughout the process.

“I’m thankful for the internship and the opportunity to do something in our field and in our major,” said Camaran of Stamford, adding that a rising sophomore completing such a robust internship is not typical. “It was a great experience, and we made a difference.”

Top: Julia Julia Piascik works with Wakeman camp students in the IDEA Lab. Inset: Joaquin Camaran