STEP Program Highlights

How we Help

The SUNY Fredonia Science and Technology Entry Program provides numerous opportunities for students to learn about STEM fields. This is done collaboratively through our ten partner school districts. Whether through funding, aligning transportation, providing research opportunities, or planning. These services have helped to make high quality learning experiences more accessible. Listed below are some of the ways we have helped to ensure students enrolled in the STEP program are successful both academically and personally. 

Field Trips: 

Field trips have become a staple of STEP programming in recent years. These experiences often focus on interactive STEM exhibits. For example, during a field trip to the Challenger Center in Olean, New York, students were able to assume the roles of astronauts and complete simulated missions. In another notable field trip, over 170 students were provided transportation to the National Comedy Center to learn about the technology that powers the museum. After learning, students then got to interact with the various high-tech exhibits on site, thus combining the power of learning with laughter. On top of the two aforementioned experiences, STEP students visited the Martz-Kohl Observatory located in Frewsburg, New York. Not only did students get to learn about this great local STEM resource, but they also got to look through the telescope to see the sun. 

STEP Club: 

STEP Club has evolved over the years to provide students and teachers with an opportunity to connect and host STEM activities after school. Ranging from the use of Legos to illustrate engineering concepts to laser engraving and cutting with STEP equipment, these experiences help students build upon the knowledge they gain in class. Moreover, once a month, we coordinate with a guest speaker to talk about a STEM topic to students via teleconference. In the 2026 academic year, we have had the following speakers: 

• Dr. Roger Orcutt: Microbiology 
• Dr. Thomas Hegna: Geology 
• Dr. Syed Haider: Computer Science 
• Dr. Michel Kouadio: Information Technology Administration 
• Rochelle Mole: Careers in Accounting 
• Rachel Farr: Careers in Law 

Manufacturing Tours: 

Throughout the year, STEP partnered with Dream it Do It of Western New York to coordinate tours of local manufacturing facilities. These experiences conducted during the school day helps students see how STEM knowledge is applied in the real world. As such, ideas about future careers that students may want to explore are often generated during these trips. In the 2025-2026 academic year, students from participating districts got to see firsthand the production facilities at Purina, Cummins, Fancher, and Blackstone Advanced Technologies. 

Summer Programs: 

For the Summer of 2026, STEP is partnering with three educational institutions to host Summer Camps. In terms of local school districts, both North Collins CSD and Dunkirk CSD will be hosting a weeklong Summer Program. These opportunities provide students with the chance to continue their STEM education over break. Topics such as robotics, rocketry, and general science are reviewed. In addition to local schools, STEP has helped support the SUNY Fredonia Summer program called “Camp Comets” which focuses on math and science hands on activities.  

Mentoring: 

Students who are part of the STEP program have the chance to participate in our annual networking/mentoring night. Here students get to work in small groups with SUNY Fredonia college students to learn about specific topics that will help them succeed in school and after graduation. By making these connections, students are able to see a role model who was able to succeed in a STEM field.