By Sushmitha Suresh
Online Writer
Photo by Sushmitha Suresh

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics may seem overwhelming for many students, but to those who attended the STEM College and Career day on Saturday, it was another look into their very bright futures.

Arranged by science teacher Margaret Stokes, the STEM College and Career day showcased professionals in the STEM field. It educated students on the change they can make with their contributions to the world of math and science. The day started off with a panel of Metea students who interned in the STEM field this past summer.

Students answered questions about the internships such as how they got them, what they did, and what they learned. Each and every one of these students could attest that their internship was a life changing experience. “Professors and graduate students love talking to students,” junior Melanie Prakash said. Prakash is studying alongside with a graduate student at the University of Chicago who currently studies T-Cell receptors. “It’s definitely based on how passionate you are, and the Metea science program makes you seem kind of smart. We learn things and they’re surprised like, wow, you know all of that stuff? So, really just show you’re interested.”

Other students featured in the panel included junior Shawn Park who participated in The Field Museum’s DNA Residency internship and junior Matt Rothenberger who interned at United States Air Force Academy and worked on different ways to improve airplanes structures. “It helped me learn about the requirements to get an internship in the field of science and the options available to me as a high school student,” junior Kyle Adams said.

The program also featured Chicago’s own Monica M. Metzler, founder of the Illinois Science Council. Metzler earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Public Policy, but in 2006, she realized that science wasn’t as encouraged in schools as other subjects were. “If you end up scientifically illiterate by age 25, you are probably going to waste a lot of money, time, and health for the rest of your life,” Metzler said. “Everyone realizes that it is no longer just enough to be smart in science and math. There’s also writing and speaking.” Metzler emphasized that science communication is key, and it will give those in STEM fields extra leverage.

For the rest of the day, students switched between rooms learning about professions concerning computers, healthcare, and engineering and learned valuable information concerning STEM at college. “I appreciated the professional panels because it showed me what options were going to be available to me in the scheme of real life,” Adams said. “My favorite part would have to be the college panel since there was such a wide variety of colleges.”

In addition to career day, Metea also offers clubs like Girls Who Code and Science Olympiad, geared towards students interested in pursuing careers in the STEM field.