High school students attended the first-ever residential summer STEM camp at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and Challenger Learning Center in July 2026. (Scott Holstein/FAMU-FSU College of Engineering)
Key points
- The FAMU-FSU College of Engineering hosted its first Summer Resident Camp, in partnership with the Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee.
- Ten students from Florida, Georgia and Alabama spent a week on the FAMU-FSU engineering campus building and testing wearable heart rate monitors.
- Campers rotated through engineering disciplines, including electrical, industrial and biomedical work, and toured research labs near campus.
- College staff say the experience shifted at least two students’ plans toward industrial engineering.
What if one summer could ignite a lifelong passion for invention, teamwork and scientific discovery?
At the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Summer Resident Camp, 10 students traded ordinary vacation days for a week of hands-on STEM immersion.
The college hosted the inaugural camp in partnership with the Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee, a nonprofit organization and K-12 outreach arm of the joint college, known for hands-on science and space-themed education programs. Participants came from Florida, Georgia and Alabama for a week of engineering challenges on the FAMU-FSU engineering campus, including visits to active research labs.
“This first-of-its-kind collaboration between the Challenger Learning Center and the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering is exactly what STEM education should be,” said Alan Hanstein, executive director of the Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee. “We intentionally selected a small group of students through a rigorous application process, then immersed them in a week of hands-on engineering, teamwork, and campus life. Our hope is that they leave not only with new skills, but with the confidence to pursue ambitious goals they may have once thought were out of reach.”
Building a Heart Monitor from Scratch
Students spent the week building a wearable heart rate monitor to take home. The project moved from 3D printing custom cases to soldering electrical components to testing and pulling live data, giving campers a full pass through the engineering design process.
Educators and college mentors guided the group each day, and students bonded over shared projects and late-night brainstorming. Working in teams, campers designed, built, tested and refined their devices while also touring engineering research labs near campus.
“We were very impressed with the group of students we had,” said Maribel Amwake, director of student engagement at the college. “The campers seemed to like the interdisciplinary approach to the camp, where they got a small taste of each discipline we offer. I believe we managed to change two campers’ decisions on which engineering they want to be in now. Both changed to industrial engineering. It was a great experience for the campers and a wonderful group to work with.”
Igniting Curiosity Through Hands-On Challenges
Campers repeatedly pointed to hands-on work as the week’s highlight. “Soldering is my favorite thing so far. You feel like you are actually building something,” one student said. Another added, “It’s exciting to apply what you learn in the classroom and see how it works.”
What is the significance of this camp for prospective engineering students? For many campers, the week reshaped their sense of which engineering discipline fits them. “I came into this thinking I knew exactly what branch of engineering I wanted to study. This camp gave me experience with electrical, circuits, and coding, and now I’m considering different fields,” one participant said. That kind of early exposure is exactly what the camp is designed to offer, according to organizers.
Soft Skills and Campus Life
Beyond technical skills, the camp gave students a preview of college life. “Even though this is an engineering STEM camp, it’s helpful in preparing you for college living. You go back to the dorm and have to be able to socialize with your roommates. I feel like it’s a really good experience to learn,” one camper said.
Another described the college’s culture as a pleasant surprise: “The engineering college is drastically different from what I expected. There are lots of different types of people here and it’s easy to fit in. The college is welcoming to everyone and I like that.”
How does a camp like this benefit students considering FAMU-FSU College of Engineering? Beyond the technical skills, campers get a firsthand look at the dual-university campus and its interdisciplinary approach, experience organizers say helps students make more informed decisions before committing to a major.
As families look ahead to next summer, the Challenger Learning Center and the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering plan to build on this first camp with future sessions.
Editor’s Note: This article was edited with a custom prompt for Claude Sonnet 5, an AI assistant created by Anthropic. The AI optimized the article for SEO discoverability, improved clarity, structure and readability while preserving the original reporting and factual content. All information and viewpoints remain those of the author and publication. This article was edited and fact-checked by college staff before being published. This disclosure is part of our commitment to transparency in our editorial process. Last edited: 07/21/2026.
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