Math, Science and Engineering. It’s a girl thing.

That’s the message of Project WISE, a weeklong camp for rising eighth grade girls that takes place each summer at Clemson. As part of the WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) initiative, this camp teaches young girls there is a place for them in this male-dominated field.

Junior Kimberly Cellucci knows firsthand how valuable WISE is in helping girls find their place. As an entering freshman, she participated is the WISE Experience, a similar summer camp that is geared toward incoming female freshmen. She was encouraged to study math and science by her family growing up, but it was at camp that Cellucci really found the place where she felt she fit in.

“The memories from the week are incredible,” she said. “We went to all sorts of classes, ate in the dining halls, explored campus and had other fun activities every night.”

Since that time, Cellucci has pursued ceramic and materials engineering, but the impact of that one week has not left her. To give back to the program that helped her she served as a counselor for Project WISE this past June.

“It was the girls and the counselors that I remember the most about my experience as a camper,” Cellucci explained. She said she couldn’t pass up this “opportunity to give back to the program and be that same mentor and role model to new girls as my counselors were for me.”

During the week, WISE counselors are on campus with girls, from their Sunday afternoon drop-off until their parents pick them up following Friday. Counselors stay in the dorms with the girls so they are there to walk them to and from their classes and to lead evening activities (which this summer included bowling, renting movies, rock climbing, visiting the planetarium, and, “the usual favorite” according to Cellucci, spa night).

“I would say that the main role of a counselor during this camp is to get the girls excited about science and math and get them excited about Clemson University, but above all, to be there for them and make sure they have fun,” said Cellucci.   

After a week of decoding mathematical codes, building robots, and even designing a house to withstand a hurricane wind tunnel, the girls leave with more than just classroom experiences.

Thinking back at the completion of her week as a counselor, Cellucci said, “I hope they learned about science, math and engineering of course.  But, I really hope they learned a little about themselves.”

Project WISE is only one part of the WISE initiative. Learn more about other programs like mentoring, career planning, workshops and networking online.

Published July 2007