College of Engineering hosts Project Engineer camp
High school students from across Southeast Texas spent a week immersed in the world of robotics, problem-solving, and real-world engineering this July as part of Project Engineer, a collaborative STEM camp hosted by 海角社区 (LU) and powered by support from ExxonMobil, Motiva, and Chevron Phillips Chemical.
Held July 21 to 25 on the LU campus, the free day camp welcomed rising ninth through 12th graders for hands-on experiences in coding, robotics design, and team-based engineering challenges. Throughout the week, students toured engineering labs, interacted with LU faculty, and worked alongside current LU engineering students and guest engineers from local industry.
“Project Engineer is about more than just STEM skills, it’s about sparking curiosity and confidence,” Maria Peredo, a process engineer with Motiva said. “What I enjoy most is the energy and enthusiasm the campers bring. Their excitement reminds me why I love sharing my passion for chemical engineering.”
That passion was echoed by Jose Sifuentes, a junior mechanical engineering major at LU and camp counselor for Project Engineer.
“I really enjoyed connecting the camp activities back to real engineering principles,” Sifuentes said. “Being able to teach about science, engineering, and the college journey, and watching the students apply that knowledge in their projects, was incredible.”
Campers worked in teams to design, build, and program their own robots for a final-day competition, where creativity and collaboration were on full display. Students also explored mechanical and chemical engineering concepts through additional projects like roller coaster design and prototype testing.
“I loved seeing the students grow and excel throughout their time at Project Engineer,” Alyssa Harper, a senior mechanical engineering student and camp counselor said. “It reminded me of my own early interest in STEM fueled by camps just like this.”
Senior mechanical engineering student Courtland Carmouche said being part of the camp gave him the chance to offer students something he didn’t have at their age.
“I didn’t know engineering was a path for me until much later,” Carmouche said. “Now I get to challenge these kids in ways I wasn't challenged, by encouraging them to think critically, without giving them the answers. That little push is often all they need.”
The camp’s final robotics showdown showcased student designs enhanced with custom features, sensors, and autonomous elements, many the result of trial, error, and peer collaboration.
“Through this partnership with 海角社区, we aim to create real opportunities for young minds to explore STEM in meaningful ways,” Rose Thomas, principal process control engineer at ExxonMobil said. “Seeing students bring their ideas to life confirms the value of programs like this.”
Chevron Phillips Chemical served as the lead sponsor, helping to make the camp free of charge for participants. The initiative reflects a growing commitment from local industry leaders to support STEM education and workforce development in Southeast Texas.
To learn more about the College of Engineering’s K-12 programs, visit /engineering/k-12-programs/.