The WLU STEM Initiative began informally in the Fall of 2016 as a collaboration between WLU PHYS 340 students and West Liberty Elementary School as an after school program. While this collaboration has continued, STEM collaborations have grown at WLU to include Psychology students, multiple EDUC courses, and many undergraduate and graduate students. We have participated in a myriad of in-school and after-school events with elementary schools in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, such as pumpkin drops, science fairs in school and on campus, and STE(A)M days.
In 2018, a SWN Grant was secured in collaboration between West Liberty Elementary School and was used for an all school STEAM event in which WLU Education students, WLU Psychology students, and the Wheeling SMART Centre joined in partnership to learn about optical illusions.
In the near future, we are working toward broadening our alliances to include more elementary and middle schools/classrooms and other community resources in and around the surrounding area.
