On November 7th, the departments of PEER & WISE hosted our annual recruitment event, Sneak Preview. This year the event was held virtually due to COVID-19. There were 82 high school juniors and seniors from across the country that joined us via Zoom to hear about the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences.
Students were able to chat with PEER/WISE mentors in the breakout sessions to hear first-hand stories of life at Clemson.
Upon joining the session, participants were greeted by Mrs. Serita Acker, Executive Director of PEER & WISE as she explained our support programs and our focus on retaining students in the fields of STEM. Dr. Oliver Myers, Associate Dean of Diversity and Inclusion, introduced the students to the STEM Scholars program for students interested in working toward a terminal degree in STEM.
Following the welcome session, Amy Burke and Phillip Lyew-Daniels led sessions on financial aid and admissions. Students were especially thankful for their willingness to answer questions and give them specific deadlines for scholarships and admissions.
After these general sessions, students were introduced to CECAS and the majors that are offered within our college. They were given the chance to talk to our PEER & WISE mentors about life as a student and how things have been different in this virtual environment. They were also able to hear about opportunities such as study abroad and co-op/internships.
After the student panel, students were split into 3 breakout rooms, where the PEER & WISE mentors led discussions of more specific majors. They gave the prospective students virtual tours of their department while showing them a day in the life of an engineering or computer science student. This part of the program was the most popular in terms of information and student engagement.
After the program, many students indicated their increased interest in applying to and hopefully attending Clemson to attain a degree in STEM. They appreciated the time spent getting to know the PEER & WISE mentors, as that is what set this program apart from other virtual events.
