Orange Public Library Foundation honors Chapman STEMtors Chapman faculty and student STEMtors were honored by the Orange Public Library Foundation for their efforts supporting the library’s STEAM for Teens and Tweens program.

On Sunday, September 25, Schmid faculty and the STEMtors were honored by the Orange Public Library Foundation (OPLF) for their work with the STEAM for Teens program at the Orange Public Library and History Center. The foundation expressed their gratitude for Chapman’s willingness to share their expertise and resources with the community.

“Chapman University has been an integral part of implementing the STEAM for Teens and Tweens program at the Orange Public Library,” says Lynn-Marie Frediani, the foundation’s executive director. “Chapman Professors and STEMtors have provided hands-on programming, outreach and mentorship in STEAM workshops. Their contribution to STEAM education has exposed the youth of Orange to college-level classes, equipment and STEAM careers.”

STEMtors, which was founded by Vidal Arroyo ’19, Chapman’s first Rhodes Scholar, is a campus club that conducts science programs for middle school and high school students in at-risk neighborhoods.

“I became enthralled with the STEMtors’ purpose in my first semester here,” says Rachel Berns ’24, a health sciences major, “because there are so many systemic barriers between students and STEM. Every student deserves to be able to pursue the sciences with equitable access.”

After the club hit a bit of a hiatus during the pandemic, Berns is excited to bring STEMtors back to life and continue opening doors for young aspiring scientists in the Orange community.