IMAGINE – MISI's STEM & Mentoring Program
The MISI STEM & Mentoring Program (IMAGINE) is designed to utilize funds raised to bypass all barriers and to cross all bridges needed to reach out and engage deserving young men and women and provide them access to a unique STEM and mentoring program.
"I committed to Stanford University with a full ride scholarship and I plan on studying either Computer Science or Electrical Engineering this fall! Thank you so much for being a part of my journey; the 2019 summer internship has given so many helpful experiences that I will never forget!" ~ A 2019 Summer Intern
Program Goals
- Relevant employable and or college level experiences.
- Character building through group and individual development of moral and communications skills needed to fully express their goals and desires.
- Paid internships.
- Reach across all bridges to recruit, attract and mentor deserving students from all walks of life to ensure an all inclusive and each one teach one approach.
- Advanced High School students, College Students and experienced adults working in STEM careers help to bridge any skill gaps to ensure every participant in the program achieves goals and gets to explore their area of interest.
- Direct access to world leaders in industry, government, science and cyber technologies.
- Exploration through hands on experience of technical but also policy, history and national issues related to cybersecurity, data science, artificial intelligence and technology.
- Use of state of the art technologies and labs similar to those used in the work place where through mentoring each participant gets to find their way and their passion with mentoring from an experienced professional or college student.
- Stipends that cover travel, lunches and time invested. This includes experience filling out the forms used in any employment process.
- Scholarships to assist with college or technical school fees and tuition.
- Employment opportunities with MISI or MISI corporate and government partners.
Helping them IMAGINE all that is possible and giving them the real-world experiences and mentoring needed to achieve their dreams.
The IMAGINE Program connects highs school students and young adults 18-24 with the goal of delivering through hands on technical experience, resume building skills that lead to employable skills.
IMAGINE provides direct access to a broad array of professionals in the areas of business, government, law, cyber, technology and science. The goal is to allow participants in between their hands on technical experiences at MISI's DreamPort, to connect with professionals to engage with, ask questions, learn about the journey of these professionals that took them to the careers and heights of achievement they have accomplished.
IMAGINE also caters to each participant's existing skills and experiences and through mentoring seeks to build character, ethics and communication skills. Participants work along side experienced professionals but also get to team with college students as needed to strengthen the ability of our STEM participants to get mentoring from mentors closer in age to their age.
A STEM Program Like No Other
Real-world cyber experiences and access to our nation's top echelon of world leaders in cyber, science and technology.
Direct Access to Leading Technology Companies
The first three days of our program are designed to allow each participant to acclimate, develop peer relationships and to literally set up every aspect of their environment as including computers and office environment.
The students are treated as employees on boarding at a new company. They get familiar with all of the forms a typical employer would require and the information needed for each form.
The interns come to MISI's DreamPort looking for a syllabus and rubric – they want to know where they are going, how they would get there, and how success would be determined. We need them to embrace their curiosity, explore new ideas, experience failing as part of the process and not something to be ashamed or feared.
The program is about challenging them to reach and explore all of their talent and areas of interest.
"Some of the speakers we talked to caused me to reconsider the career path I have been planning and switch over to have a career in cyber security." ~ A 2019 Summer Intern
During the course of their four weeks, the interns have multiple working lunches and mini-courses on topics such as cybersecurity, ethics, and policymaking. At the start of each session, our interns give their 30- to 60-second elevator pitches.
Knowing that there would be thousands of kids across the nation competing for the same slots at the top tier universities they hope to attend, or for the jobs they aspire to obtain, we want the interns to leave MISI's DreamPort with confidence in their ability to walk into an interview and make a solid first impression. Even those who arrive not being able to make eye contact during their mumbled 10 word introductions, leave after four weeks with at least 30-seconds of sustained eye contact!
Part of the experience at the MISI DreamPort facility STEM Program is being able to explain your work to others.
It's not just about technology but the ability to engage, present, collaborate and get through exercises designed to tune communication skills needed for success in college or a technical career.
MISI mentors arrange for organic opportunities for our STEM Interns to ask questions and discuss their opinions and to justify their choices.
IMAGINE Benefits Others
Donations to IMAGINE will benefit the following organizations, and others!
- The National Cares Mentoring Movement
- Boys Hope, Girls Hope
- The Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women
- Howard County Schools
- Anne Arundel County Schools
- Montgomery County Schools
- University of Maryland Baltimore County
- Bowie State University
- The United States Naval Academy
- Norwich University
- NPower
