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Community Engagement Spotlight | Amelia Squires

Amelia Squires is the UNO STEM Outreach Coordinator. She engages youth in STEM education opportunities like EUREKA-STEM!, which is an enrichment program that begins with a four week summer camp held on UNO's Campus for middle school girls.

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In 2012, Amelia Squires organized the first EUREKA-STEM!, as a partnership between UNO and Omaha Girls Inc. EUREKA-STEM! empowers young women to engage in STEM activities and careers. "These youths come from underrepresented areas so bringing them here really helps them succeed." Participants take part in STEM activities, engage with college students and professors, and do internships.

Students participating in the EUREKA-STEM!, a program also known as the Eureka! Teen Achievement Program, make a five-year commitment including two years of camp at UNO during the seventh and eighth grade, which is then matched wth three years of follow-up support from the Girls Inc. In their last two years with the program, participants are given an internship and paired with businesses and community partners who serve as members. Amelia's hope is that "through exposure to college students, and STEM careers and majors, students will have more confidence and be more open to pursuing STEM in college, and hopefully coming to UNO."

Now that EUREKA-STEM! is planning for its fifth year, "we are looking at ways we can track who has come to UNO, where else they have gone, and if they are now enrolled at UNO. We also want to track the impact of their time in the program."

EUREKA-STEM! 2006

EUREKA-STEM! 2006

Amelia has played an important role in the success of UNO STEM education through her outreach efforts. She is responsible for organizing and coordinating the logistics and activities of STEM education across campus and in the community. She has created partnerships with many of the local school systems and organizations in the community.