AEP Ohio provides grant for regional STEM activities at Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service

The AEP Ohio Fund of the Columbus Foundation has provided a new two-year, $100,000 grant to Ohio University’s George Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service, expanding the school’s growing body of place-based Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, or “STEM,” enrichment activities, as well as AEP Ohio and OHIO’s long-running partnership to advance STEM research and programming in Southeast Ohio.

“This is a significant gift for the STEM programs in Appalachia,” Voinovich School Dean Mark Weinberg said. “Meeting the needs of regional students through virtual and in-person STEM programs in southeastern Ohio creates a much-needed pipeline of future leaders in this space.”

The funding will enable the Voinovich School to connect new and existing STEM initiatives in support of Appalachian K-12 and college-bound students and educators, including the recently-launched Appalachian STEM Enrichment Academy, a web-based platform that brings together a mix of STEM topics and activities into a central online location.

The Academy meets a growing need for virtual content and hands-on activities that can be utilized inside or outside of the formal classroom. The AEP Ohio Fund of the Columbus Foundation gift will support the incorporation of additional water quality-related activities into the platform as well as experiential learning activities in partnership with the Ohio Museum Complex. The grant will support the program during the program’s 2021 and 2022 fiscal years. The Academy is also supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Energy EM PPPO, PORTSfuture Program, and the Voinovich School.

“AEP Ohio is pleased to support the unique community-minded work of the Voinovich School and their dedication to forming public-private partnerships that benefit Appalachian Ohio,” said Steven Nourse, AEP vice president, Legal. “We look forward to continuing our longstanding relationship with the school, and we remain committed to supporting STEM education and activities throughout our service area.”

Thanks to this grant, the Voinovich School, which serves as the District 12 hub for Science Fair in southeastern Ohio, will offer a greater number of Science Fair awards to students to encourage participation as well as provide direct mentoring opportunities between Ohio University faculty and the participants through their schools. Around 100 fifth- through 12th-grade students from Athens, Hocking, Jackson, Meigs, Morgan, Ross and Vinton counties currently participate in the District 12 Science Fair.

Additionally, incoming Appalachian students interested in STEM programs at Ohio University will have access to scholarships to participate in STEMstart, a weeklong program for STEM readiness for first-year students each fall. STEMstart is hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences.