Empowering Local High Schoolers: Ohio State Mansfield Hosts Multi-School STEAM Event

The Ohio State University at Mansfield recently welcomed around 150 high school students to campus for an immersive day of hands-on learning. Bringing together 9th through 12th graders from Pioneer Career Tech Center, Fredericktown High School, Monroeville High School, Ontario High School, Orrville High School, and Lexington High School, the event provided students with a firsthand look into higher education and multidisciplinary career paths.

The vision for the initiative was originally conceived by Dr. Dawn Kitchen.

"Dawn has always and will always be one of the most passionate people when it comes to bolstering enrollment here at the Mansfield campus," event organizer Rosie Driver shared. "She believes in the mission of regional campuses and land-grant responsibilities wholeheartedly. Many of our students come from low-income areas, and schools don't have as much money as they did in the past to fund trips."

While traditional initiatives focus exclusively on STEM, organizers explicitly structured this event around "STEAM" by incorporating the arts alongside science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

"I love the arts, and it's a subject field I don't want to overlook because you can truly find the arts represented in all the regular STEM fields," Driver explained. "By doing so, students are also learning they can have a fulfilling career outside of being a regular computer science student."

Faculty involvement played a central role in bringing the day to life. Now in its third iteration, the event relies on experienced Ohio State Mansfield faculty who design accessible activities to spark interest in college. Beyond the interactive sessions, the day served as a supportive bridge to higher education, providing students with information on tuition programs and degree pathways.

Above all, organizers wanted the visiting high schoolers to feel encouraged about their future potential.

"I want them to remember that we truly care about their hopes and dreams, plus that they can always be a Buckeye with us," said the organizer. "We love when our students stay at Mansfield for all four years, but we are here to help them achieve their goals. If that journey ultimately takes them to the Columbus campus, we want them to know staff and faculty are here to help every step of the way”.