Dahlgren Gift Benefits UMW College of Education - University of Mary Washington

FREDERICKSBURG, Va.  –  Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) is intent connected supporting the STEM acquisition goals acceptable distant by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin. That was ne'er much evident than connected Oct. 18 erstwhile NSWCDD officials donated astir $30,000 worthy of STEM instrumentality to the University of Mary Washington (UMW) to enactment the mentation of K-12 STEM educators and their students successful the Fredericksburg portion and beyond.

“Our concern with the University of Mary Washington has had a tremendous interaction connected our quality to grow and maximize our STEM outreach and enactment the state’s STEM acquisition goals,” NSWCDD Chief Technology Officer Jennifer Clift said. “With UMW’s help, we are designing a game-changing STEM acquisition programme that places an accent connected preparing aboriginal K-12 STEM educators and offering inspiring world STEM opportunities for students crossed the region.”

Clift was connected manus for the authoritative presumption of the gifts astatine UMW’s Seacobeck Hall.

The donations to the recently furnished makerspace included tools that volition assistance found 3D printing capabilities, wide ranging options for robotics activities, and virtual world opportunities.  The instrumentality included Ozobot, Sphero, and Lego Spike Robotics kits, a Formlabs 3D printer with respective different accessories to enactment 3D printing, a Glowforge laser cutter, and 17 Meta Quest 2 virtual world headsets.

UMW President Troy Paino said the acquisition from NSWCDD is going to “transform lives.”

“We are truthful pleased that we could donate this makerspace capableness to UMW to supply hands-on opportunities for our section students, to get them excited astir STEM and the vocation opportunities up of them,” Clift said. “We worth our concern with UMW and look guardant to doing large things for STEM education.”

NSWCDD Technical Director Dale Sisson, Jr., SES, said the concern with UMW has ne'er been stronger than it is now.

Sisson said that Clift’s bureau has been purposeful astir strengthening the relationships betwixt NSWCDD and schools successful the surrounding area.

“Our full Technology Office is doing things that we person ne'er done before,” Sisson said. “We are signing cooperative probe and improvement agreements by the dozen. We’re putting acquisition partnering agreements successful spot crossed the country, and this concern represents 1 of our astir important. We are arrogant to leverage the entirety of what the University of Mary Washington brings to the table.”

UMW Dean of the College of Education Pete Kelly besides reflected connected the partnership. Kelly said he’s excited astir the quality the gifts volition marque to UMW students who are grooming to go educators. He’s besides looking guardant to assisting K-12 teachers successful the region.

“We privation to beryllium a determination hub to assistance make capableness for that work,” Kelly said. “Our K-12 teachers request assistance connected that beforehand and NSWCDD’S acquisition is going to marque a difference. We’re already talking astir having 1 of our STEM nights and inviting [NSWCDD officials] backmost due to the fact that we privation you to spot these materials and supplies successful enactment with our students and the quality that it is making.”

NSWCDD besides partners with UMW’s College of Education to big tract trips that springiness students and teachers hands-on acquisition successful STEM education, and diagnostic collaborations successful the arts and sciences crossed campus. Stafford and Spotsylvania County schools person visited this fall, and much trips are planned. In addition, the 2 organizations squad up for the yearly Innovation Challenge @ Dahlgren, a robotics contention for precocious schoolhouse students. Registration is unfastened now.