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Mission

Campers visit NC State’s greenhouses and collect plant clippings

Mission

SATELLITE Camp exposes under-resourced students from across North Carolina to STEM-oriented pathways for the purpose of promoting equitable educational access.

What is SATELLITE?

SATELLITE (Science And Technology Enriching Lifelong Leadership In Tomorrow’s Endeavors) is a STEM outreach and leadership development program led by students from NC State. It is designed to introduce students from under-resourced North Carolina high schools to science and technology related educational and career paths through a five-day overnight camp on NC State’s campus each May. Approximately 60 high school sophomores experience a wide array of demonstrations, lectures, and hands-on laboratory experiments with the assistance of professors and current NC State students.

Background

In the spring of 1996, several students from North Carolina State University participated in an experimental outreach program designed for motivated high school sophomores from low income public schools across the state. These schools were targeted because rural school systems generally receive considerably less funding than their urban counterparts. Therefore, students are not provided with as many opportunities to develop to their full academic potential.

The SATELLITE program was created to address the needs of these students by giving them exposure to resources, ideas, and opportunities that their schools may have been unable to provide. The success of the pilot program in 1997 laid the foundation for what has become the SATELLITE program. The program has continued to grow since then, with over 100 applications received each year.

The goal of the program is to educate these scholars about the endless possibilities that exist within the fields of science and technology, and to inspire them to reach out within their communities and involve others in their love of learning. In addition, these students learn about various opportunities both in and out of the classroom that inspire them to maintain a broad, multidisciplinary outlook while developing into well-rounded, wholly educated individuals.

Our Purpose

The purpose of SATELLITE is to provide students with:

  • opportunities to explore and engage with current issues and career paths in the sciences and in technology-related disciplines through innovative lectures and hands-on laboratory experiences
  • exposure to the university experience through on-campus housing accommodation, tours of university facilities and seminars with current students and university staff
  • personal development activities related to leadership, diversity and cultural awareness
  • motivation for continued educational pursuit and achievement

“SATELLITE was so much fun! The seminars were interesting, the food was great, the counselors were hilarious and the overall experience was so much more than I expected. I didn’t want to leave, but when I did, I was so happy to have experienced it!”

-Geri Butner