CofC Receives $10K Gift to Support STEM Education

The College of Charleston Foundation announced a $10,000 grant from the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, the non-profit arm of Dominion Energy, to fund Elementary Engineers and the Charleston STEM Festival.

An Elementary Engineer camper demonstrates how the stem of his pollinator bounces with just a little movement.

The Elementary Engineers program focuses on three areas: teacher workshops, student engagement through field trips and summer enrichment programs. Students are involved in hands-on experiments and challenges that reinforce STEM learning with the help of partners like Dominion Energy, the Grice Marine Lab and the Historic Charleston Foundation.

The annual Charleston STEM Festival, which will be held on Feb. 3, 2018, at Brittlebank Park in Charleston, conveys the joy of STEM through engaging interactive experiences. The festival aims to increase awareness of the role of STEM in society and promote responsible science in the region.

“We want to thank Dominion Energy for its support in promoting STEM among students in the Lowcountry,” says Cynthia Hall, director of the Lowcountry Hall of Science and Math at the College of Charleston. “Elementary Engineers and the Charleston STEM Festival are making an impact. For example, in just four short years, the Charleston STEM Festival has gone from 1,500 participants to more than 10,000 and the number of exhibitors has grown to more than 80.”

“Dominion Energy and the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation are pleased to continue our support for the Elementary Engineers Program and the Charleston STEM Festival through learning opportunities beyond the classroom,” says Kristen Beckham, external affairs representative for Dominion Energy.