Earlier this month, Baptist Health Sciences University (BHSU) and Baptist Memorial Health Care hosted 78 high school students representing 32 schools in the tristate area for the Baptist HealthCORE STEM Summer Camp. Thirty students attended the first camp in 2022. Camp activities immersed students in the world of health care and presented opportunities for them to learn about fields they may not have been aware existed.
The free STEM camp is part of the Baptist HealthCORE community outreach initiative to get students interested in health care professions, alleviate health care worker shortages and help eliminate health disparities. Truist Bank sponsored the camp along with BHSU and Baptist Community Relations.
The first group of students attended camp June 5–9, and the second group was held June 12–16. On the first day of camp, students received a backpack or sling bag of goodies, including two T-shirts they wore to camp, a refillable water bottle, pens and a notepad, and a pair of sunglasses. At the close of each week, campers received a completion certificate recognizing them for their participation in a week of hands-on activities.
Camp activities included laboratory exercises, clinical observation, tours and educational events. Campers were thrilled with activities, such as the blood typing forensic investigation (using fake blood, DNA profiles and fingerprinting), CPR demonstrations from emergency medical technicians, a global pandemic escape room and sheep eyeball dissection.
“The kids didn’t want to leave at the end of the day, and their parents said all they talked about was the camp,” said Baptist Health Sciences University College of Medicine Chair and Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Lilian Nyindodo, Ph.D., MPH.
When asked about key takeaways from the camp, some students spoke about how health care is so much more diverse than they had imagined. Several students mentioned they now have a much greater understanding of strokes and the importance of quick treatment. Others said they have a better idea of how they might pursue a career in health care. Several campers reached out to BHSU Admissions or connected with HealthCORE for job shadowing and mentoring opportunities.
Led by Lilian and Briana Jegier, the camp was a team effort with BHSU faculty and staff, community partners and Baptist team members leading activities and teaching campers about their fields. More than 50 volunteers from BHSU, the Baptist system, the community and six interns from MPLOY Youth assisted with camp activities, served breakfast and lunch, and checked students in and out of camp each day. Some campers from last year’s STEM camp came back to serve as volunteers this year!
Several BHSU departments and areas contributed to the camp, including Admissions, Alumni Relations, Biomedical Sciences, Campus Ministry, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Health Administration and Public Health, Honors Program, Interprofessional Education, Marketing, Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nuclear Medicine Technology, Nursing, Respiratory Care, Security and Student Affairs.
Baptist’s Community Relations team facilitated the camp and led an activity. Baptist team members from Nutrition and stroke specialists from Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis also led camp activities.
Community partners participating in the camp included Acadian Ambulance Service, Fitnexx, Priority Ambulance, Red Chiro and Truist Bank.
According to Lilian and Briana, plans for next year’s camp include introducing field trips so campers can gain a better understanding of how public health works and view emergency helipads in action. They would also like to invite parents to the camp, giving them more opportunities to interact with BHSU staff and ask questions.
If you are interested in volunteering for the camp, providing an activity or supporting this effort, please contact Lilian Nyindodo and Briana Jegier at HealthCore@baptistu.edu.
2023 STEM Summer Camp Activities
- Future Leaders: Team building through Improv with Briana Jegier
- Global Pandemic Escape Room with Jan Hill and Professor Leah Greene
- Your Career, Your Calling and University Tour with Jamecia Richardson and Autumn James
- EMT/EMS Careers with J. D. Horn and team from Priority Ambulance
- EMT/EMS Careers with Demario Hunter and team from Acadian Ambulance
- Blood Typing Forensic Investigation with Koushik Roy and Christina Davis
- Blood Typing and DNA Fingerprinting Forensic Investigation with BHSU faculty and staff, Lilian Nyindodo, Christina Davis, Officer Joe Solomon, Megan Bursi, Tara Barker and the MPLOY interns
- Fitness with Tony Knox from Fitnexx
- Diagnostic Medical Sonography: “Seeing with Sound” with Professors Abby Kurtz and Katie Cody
- Sonography: “The Case of the Missing Thyroid” with Lilian Nyindodo and Briana Jegier
- Medicine in Historical Context and Discover BHSU with Paul Criss
- Nursing First Aid Basics and IPE with Angel Boling and Cheryl Scott
- Medical Laboratory Diagnosis with Professor Dana Wiley
- Mental and Spiritual Health with Paul Criss, Chaplain Karen Smith, Counselor Caryn Schmitz and Nemetria Tate
- Respiratory Care Practice: “Breathing” with Professors Kira Anderson and Antoinette Beckley
- Microbiology with Professors Michelle Alexander and Christina Davis
- Stroke Education with Julie Horn
- Chiropractic Body Manipulations with Dr. Fred Peete and Dr. Hazel Aberdeen
- Physics Fun with Yadav Pandit
- Radioactive Decay with Donna Mars and Professor Nikki Robinson
- Eyeball Dissection with Christina Davis and John Parr
- Nutrition Wellness with Queen Taliafero
- Financial Wellness with Tyronza LeSueur-Ellis
- Mobile Clinic and Homeless Outreach with Cynthia Bradford, Ann Marie Wallace and Nicholas Weaver
