Student ProjectsHigh School Initiative Program (HSIP)
Project Manager
Camila Cristine Sandino
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
Amount Requested
$5,000
Summary
The High School Initiative Program (HSIP) is an event hosted by SHPE Northwestern in collaboration with high schools from the greater Chicago area. HSIP aims to provide high school students with a comprehensive overview of the college STEM experience through hands-on activities, skill-building workshops, and opportunities to connect with STEM students and professionals. The event also supports parents and guardians by providing information and resources on higher education pathways, scholarship opportunities, and, overall, a better understanding of the college STEM application process, along with strategies for supporting student success, with special emphasis on serving students and families from underrepresented backgrounds. Students will envision themselves in a college setting and see STEM as an accessible and exciting path. The event serves as a valuable leadership and professional development opportunity for SHPE members. By leading and organizing service-oriented activities, facilitating and organizing workshops, and mentoring opportunities.
Planned Activities/Investments
Throughout the summer of 2026 and the beginning of the fall quarter, SHPE Northwestern will conduct outreach to local high schools across the greater Chicago area to promote the event, communicate its mission and opportunities, and invite students and families to participate in HSIP. The program will begin with a welcome session accompanied by breakfast to introduce parents and students to SHPE values, its mission, and a breakdown of the day's activities, along with the distribution of SHPE-branded HSIP 2026 merchandise. Then, as the first activity, SHPE members and volunteers will lead a campus and lab tour, following a catered lunch, to create a welcoming, community-oriented environment. Once lunch is over, the students will attend carefully planned engineering-related activities that suit the interests of high school students in STEM, such as pipe cleaner towers and bridge-building challenges. Meanwhile, the parents will attend a faculty-led presentation on the college application process, scholarship opportunities, and ways to support student success. The program will conclude with a student reflection session and a student panel featuring SHPE members, allowing participants to learn more about the college STEM experience and ask questions in an open and engaging setting.
Impact
SHPE’s primary target is 80-100 local high school students and 10-20 parents. Through hands-on engineering activities, interaction with the SHPE Northwestern community, and campus exposure, students will gain a better understanding of STEM pathways in higher education. This project will also benefit the undergraduate SHPE members who gain valuable mentorship and leadership experience. We will evaluate this impact by conducting pre- and post-event surveys to assess STEM interest and perceptions of college, and by sending out feedback forms to student participants and SHPE volunteers.
Deliverables
The major deliverables for the project will be one catered STEM outreach event hosted at Northwestern, various hands-on STEM activities, a campus tour, one custom SHPE/HSIP merchandise distribution, a student panel session, and a feedback and participation summary report.
Sustainability
HSIP is an annual event that SHPE sponsors. In future years, SHPE looks forward to gaining Industry sponsorships to support the event.
Previous Projects
In previous years, SHPE has utilized the Murphy Grant to help fund HSPIS. Last year, we were able to reach more than 80 students and 15 parents through the program. We conducted a schedule very similar to the one described above, featuring a variety of hands-on engineering activities and educational experiences. Students participated in engineering design challenges, including building and testing handmade catapults, which encouraged creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. Additionally, participants toured three different engineering laboratories, including the concrete laboratory, where they gained firsthand exposure to engineering research, testing methods, and real-world applications of engineering concepts. These experiences helped inspire students to pursue STEM fields while providing parents with a better understanding of educational and career opportunities in engineering.
Budget Overview
- Food and Catering: $2000 - Lunch/snacks for students and volunteers
- HSIP 2025 Merchandise: $1500 - T-shirts for high school students
- Activity Supplies: $1200 - Pipe cleaners, ping pong balls, weights, etc.
- Event Materials: $300 - Name tags, signage, etc.
Total Budget Amount: $5,000
Matching Funds
No matching funds have been secured or are being provided for this project.
Faculty Adviser/Department
Ellen Worsdall/McCormick Student Affairs