OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
The Summer Bridge program is for recent high school graduates entering Oregon State University. Held before their first term, this program combines bioenergy research and skills to transition to college.
Science & Math Investigative Learning Experiences (SMILE) is a precollege program at Oregon State University (OSU) supporting out-of-school time learning opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields to improve student achievement and teacher professional development, and close the achievement gap for students from groups underrepresented in higher education in Oregon.
SMILE clubs and events engage students in STEM activities wherein the practices of art, design, and communication contribute to creative and innovative problem solving. The weekly afterschool club meetings also act as "test beds" for teachers to introduce, evaluate, and adapt new activities for their classrooms. In addition, we support community projects linked to STEM research, and we recently supported the Research and Education Collaborative Occultation Network's astronomy project at Madras High School.
We are very proud of being honored as a Together for Tomorrow Challenge winner for the 2012 - 2013 school year. The U.S. Department of Education and the Corporation for National and Community Service recognized the sustained support our community-led partnerships provide to struggling schools. The 2014 - 2015 school year is SMILE's 28th year.