“Two” was the magic number at the recent Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) Regional Science Bowl competition as two Union seniors coached two teams of Schenectady County middle and high-school students to a second straight “Spirit Award” for enthusiasm and sportsmanship.
The mission of STEP is to encourage historically underrepresented students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math. Latoya Roper ’08 and Amal Hussnain ’08, both volunteers at the Kenney Community Center, have been working with the students after school since November to prepare for the competition.
“Latoya and Amal have really inspired and motivated our kids to pursue STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) professions,” said Angela B. Blair, assistant director for community outreach at the Kenney Community Center. “Their mentoring has really made a difference; they have shown our kids that they can achieve success while giving back to the community.”
Roper and Hussnain, who are both applying to medical school, are ideal mentors for STEP. Roper, a biochemistry major from Jamaica, N.Y. plans to join the Teach for America corps after graduation in June. Hussnain hails from Watervliet and is majoring in biochemistry. An Obenzinger scholar, Hussnain plans to spend a year as a research fellow at the National Cancer Institute before entering med school.
“I am proud to say that out of the 25 participating teams, the Spirit Award was awarded to Union's STEP team,” said Hussnain. “It was a great display of team work and professionalism from the kids.”
The competition was held at Monroe Community College in Rochester. STEP coaches enjoyed a tour of the University of Rochester’s medical school and were treated to dinner by a doctor. The high school students and their parents met with students, admission counselors, deans and professors from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), U of R and Monroe Community College.
The competition was funded by Union's STEP, the New York State Education Department and the U.S. Department of Energy.
For more information about the program, contact Blair at (518) 388-6609 or blaira@union.edu or visit: http://www.union.edu/Community/Community_Center/step.php.