RCSJ STEM Discovery Day Teaches Local High School Students Analytical, Critical Thinking Skills

Deptford Twp. – More than 100 students from 11 South Jersey high schools experienced what it was like to be a college student at Rowan College of South Jersey’s (RCSJ) STEM Discovery Day.

Each student rotated through a bevy of exciting, hands-on STEM workshops, throughout the day. They also got to eat a hearty meal at lunch. This event, which a part of celebrating NJ STEM Month 2026, took place at RCSJ’s Gloucester Campus in March.

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The high schools that participated in RCSJ’s STEM Discovery Day were Cumberland Regional; Delsea Regional; Gateway Regional; Glassboro; Gloucester County Institute of Technology; Millville; Pitman Senior High; Vineland; Washington Township; West Deptford; and Woodbury Senior High.

“STEM Discovery Day is an opportunity for high school students to explore different STEM fields. The goal of this event is for the students to have fun while learning about STEM,” said Christina Nase, associate professor, Chemistry, RCSJ.

“Our Industry partners and RCSJ faculty hosted hands-on workshops,” she said. “RCSJ and Rowan University students assisted with the workshops throughout the day. The college students also had a networking lunch with our industry partners.”

The industry partners who collaborated with RCSJ for STEM Discovery Day were: Bayshore Center at Bivalve; Coriell Institute for Medical Research; Dow Chemical Company; East Oak Animal Hospital, Johnson Mathey; and The Wistar Institute.

RCSJ’s Chemistry Department, Environmental Science, and Nursing and Allied Health also provided workshops for the event.

“STEM Discovery Day was made possible through a generous grant from the NJ STEM Pathways Network,” said Nase. “They helped cover the cost of lunch. We would also like to thank the American Chemical Society’s Prepare CTP seed grant through which we began our initial industry partner engagement program.”

According to Nase, the students toured the College’s nursing building and used the lab spaces in Scott Hall. They also gained multiple opportunities to enhance their analytical and critical thinking skills, while having fun during the workshops.

For example, RCSJ Nursing introduced students to Ann, an adult patient simulator to help them learn essential healthcare assessment skills. Coriell taught students how to extract DNA from their own saliva and cheek cells using the salting-out method with household items. The Wistar Institute allowed students to explore the field of cancer research through hands-on investigation and data analysis.

“Our students get to see how their studies apply to the real world,” said Nase. “Being able to meet chemists, biologists, veterinarians, and marine scientists helps students see and understand the local STEM job market.”

East Oak Animal Hospital provided a fully immersive experience in several areas of veterinary medicine, said Melissa Brittingham, Human Resources manager and training supervisor.

“[Dr. Erica Briggs and I] did brief lectures on … surgical assistance, instrumentation, sterilization, gowning/gloving, and bandaging techniques,” she said.

Brittingham enjoyed giving students a sneak peek into veterinary medicine. She also noticed a transformative shift in some of the students after her and Briggs’ presentation was completed.

“They came in with some reservations but left with a greater appreciation of the veterinary field and the possibilities they could explore in terms of careers,” she said.

Two students from Washington Township spoke about the positive impact RCSJ’s STEM Discovery Day had on them.

“We went to different workshops … There was a marine biology one with plankton [and] there was a veterinary one, which [was] my favorite,” said Isis, a sophomore, who is currently interested in pursuing a career in pediatric occupational therapy.

“I think it’s an interesting idea that they allowed us to come here and explore this. It was interesting and fun.”

Max M., a senior who is planning to enter the United States Military Academy, said: “You got the full experience of pretty much a college student. It was a little bit of engineering, biology microscope work, and a little bit of veterinary school, too. It was really cool.”

For more information about Rowan College of South Jersey’s STEM Division, visit RCSJ.edu/STEM.