Balfour STEM Camp was a week-long extension of the 2017 Pre-College Academy in which interested students participated in a small, hands-on STEM learning community. The students engaged with STEM professionals from Baxter Biopharma Solutions to address real-world biomanufacturing industry challenges. At the end of the week, students stated that they felt more confident and knowledgeable in STEM subjects and better prepared for college and career decisions.
Balfour STEM Camp
"The STEM camp after the Balfour program was a once in a lifetime opportunity that I was fortunate to be a part of," said participant Steven Guevara. "The camp was very interactive and allowed a better understanding of the topics talked about during the program. The activities assigned to us were not difficult, but they were not easy. This allowed all the members of the camp to work together and have fun while doing it. The topic of freeze-drying was an interesting topic for the STEM camp and it worked out well at the end. Learning about the process and how much it impacts the world made it more interesting and it made me eager to learn more about it."
Probably my favorite thing from the STEM camp was the ability to talk to professionals, who work with the process of freeze-drying as a career. Having Baxter come and talk to us and eventually inviting us into their facility was a great and exciting moment that I am sure that I won’t forget.
Steven Guevara
"Probably my favorite thing from the STEM camp was the ability to talk to professionals, who work with the process of freeze-drying as a career," Steven said. "Having Baxter come and talk to us and eventually inviting us into their facility was a great and exciting moment that I am sure that I won’t forget. After I left the STEM camp, the topic of freeze-drying was still in my mind, and have decided to research and eventually build an essay on it. The camp did a great job introducing a topic unfamiliar to me and making it really interesting, to the point where I wanted to learn more. I have absolutely no regrets on my decision on staying another week away from home to participate in the camp and I encourage others to do the same."