Maryville University received a grant from the Ryan Howard Family Foundation providing about a dozen high-ability elementary school students from the St. Louis area free transportation to attend Maryville’s summer robotics program, which ran through Aug. 3.
Ryan Howard, the Philadelphia Phillies superstar, grew up in St. Louis and has a history of giving back in the area. Maryville University leads a year -round Young Scholars program for high-ability students from traditionally underrepresented populations in gifted programs.
Steve Coxon, Maryville University assistant professor and director of Graduate Programs in gifted education, arranged for students in the Young Scholars program to attend the robotics program for free. The Ryan Howard Family Foundation awarded a $2,000 grant for bus transportation to bring those Young Scholars to Maryville’s campus in west St. Louis County.
The Director of Fundraising for the Ryan Howard Family Foundation Reggie Crume said, “For us, it came down to an opportunity for additional kids to take part in the educational opportunity Maryville University is providing.”
Coxon said, “We appreciate the grant from the Ryan Howard Family Foundation because it allows children who otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend the robotics program to be here. We know children who take part in these programs are much more likely to pursue education and careers in math and science. These are bright kids, future community leaders.”
The Maryville Summer Science and Robotics Program offers high-end programming with highly qualified faculty, including professors, engineers, computer programmers and gifted certified teachers.
Maryville designed the program for children and teens ages 5-15 who are either already identified as gifted or who perform well above others their age in science, technology, engineering, and/or math including exceptional use of engineering toys such as LEGOs or other building sets.
The robotics program served approximately 145 high-ability students this year and organizers anticipate that the program will expand to offer more than 40 classes in the summer of 2013.
Brown School’s MPH accredited
The Brown School’s Master of Public Health (MPH) program at Washington University in St. Louis was recently accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).
The mission of the program, which conducted its first classes in the fall of 2009, is to challenge students to apply transdisciplinary problem-solving skills to public health challenges, especially in vulnerable communities.
“The CEPH accreditation provides national recognition of the quality of our program,” Edward F. Lawlor, PhD, dean of the Brown School and the William E. Gordon Distinguished Professor. “This unique program teaches students to address public health issues through the lens of many different disciplines.
“Accreditation will provide students and alumni expanded job opportunities, fellowships, and doctoral admissions.”
The MPH program is unique in that it leverages the academic strength of the Brown School with the wide range of resources at Washington University.
As part curriculum, students take core courses in behavioral health, biostatistics, environmental health, epidemiology, and health policy and management. The curriculum also draws upon a wide range of disciplines including economics, medicine, psychology, social work, and sociology.
Another unique feature is a interdisciplinary nature of the program. Intensive seminars allow students to work in small teams to focus on a specific public health issue such as obesity, diabetes, Medicare reform, global climate change, cancer prevention, or international health.
Students simultaneously participate in courses to help build analytical, research, presentation, leadership, and team-building skills.
To view an extended video of MPH students in action, visit brownschool.wustl.edu/Admissions/MPH/Pages/InformationSessionPage0625-6663.aspx.
For more information about the MPH program, visit brownschool.wustl.edu/Admissions/MPH/Pages/publichealthoverview.aspx
