Mercy Summer Program Spotlights STEM Skills

Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-Westchester/Rockland) today toured Mercy College’s Step Up to STEM summer camp, an innovative program supporting local low-income high school and college students pursuing degrees in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The focus of this summer’s program is on disaster preparedness. 

Students attending the program can work toward certification by the Red Cross in disaster readiness; study how social media can help mitigate the impact of disasters; and learn the causes of natural disasters, including extreme weather events like Superstorm Sandy. 

“Mercy College’s innovative STEM programs are helping prepare today’s students for the needs of tomorrow’s workforce. It is a prime example of institutes of higher learning teaming up with the government and private sector to provide students with the tools to succeed,” said Congresswoman Lowey. “It is especially exciting to see students in our own backyard studying how we can best predict, prepare for, and respond to future disasters like Superstorm Sandy.”

“The demand for college graduates educated in STEM skills has remained steady and is projected to increase over the next decade,” said Dr. Concetta M. Stewart, Interim President of Mercy College. “Mercy College is well-positioned to provide a high quality education to academically talented students interested in exciting STEM careers. 

The camp is free of charge and open to graduating high school seniors, college freshmen and sophomores, and students pursuing STEM majors, including psychology.  The program has been developed by faculty at Mercy College and Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC).

In 2011, Congresswoman Lowey announced a $788,000 federal grant for Mercy College to support the teaching of STEM programs.