麻豆村

Science offers youth an exciting career path鈥攂ut only if they are ready to choose it.

The state鈥檚 most talented high school students will discover their potential at the (PGSS), hosted at 麻豆村.

PGSS is a free summer enrichment program for rising high school seniors who reside in Pennsylvania. At least one student represents each of the state鈥檚 29 intermediate units.

Alden Bressler from Williamstown was referred to PGSS by his physics teacher at Reach Cyber Charter School in Harrisburg.

鈥淚 thought it was a good opportunity to see what college would be like,鈥� Bressler said.

The five-week program engages participants in college-level biology, chemistry, mathematics, computer science and physics. Classes are taught by area university faculty members.

The Mellon College of Science鈥檚 Natalie McGuier, an associate teaching professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, is the PGSS program director for the first time, having been an elective instructor and team project leader since 2015. She is the program鈥檚 fourth director.

Daily activities are 鈥渕ore than the average course load of the average Carnegie Mellon freshman,鈥� according to McGuier, and include core courses, elective courses, one formal laboratory course, one team research project and guest lectures.

鈥淢ost public schools can鈥檛 provide the challenges needed by gifted students 鈥� and so, we need programs like PGSS to help stimulate our students and provide these opportunities,鈥� said McGuier, at the June 23 opening ceremony.

Wanting to learn but lacking enough resources was a common theme that the students expressed in their applications, according to McGuier.

The 2024 program received 524 applications of which 13.7% were accepted.

鈥淭his acceptance rate is on par with the elite universities of this country,鈥� McGuier said.

Carnegie Mellon has hosted the program since its inception in 1982. Of the program鈥檚 3,000 alumni, 93% of them have entered STEM careers, where their talents make valuable contributions to the economy and increase the competitiveness of the national workforce.

A 1992 PGSS participant, Jennifer Baccon chairs the Akron Children鈥檚 Hospital鈥檚 Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. She appreciated the intellectual engagement she received at PGSS as a teenager and the broad exposure it gave her to various areas of science.

鈥淔or the first time, I felt like it was OK to be really smart,鈥� Baccon said.

Baccon currently serves as president of the PGSS Campaign, a nonprofit organization that seeks funding to sustain the program. The state closed the program in 2009 during the recession, but PGSS alumni revived it in 2013 through public and private support.

Fundraising increased participation from 56 spots in 2013 to 72 spots in 2024.

PGSS participant Lucy Zheng from Murrysville is thinking about going into medicine. A rising senior at Franklin Regional Senior High School, she first learned about PGSS from friends who attended.

鈥淚鈥檓 hoping to just be able to explore further some areas I haven鈥檛 been able to learn about in school and other academic activities, like the elective on lasers and a lot of the elective options in physics,鈥� Zheng said. 鈥淚鈥檝e never studied physics in school before, so I鈥檓 not sure if I鈥檓 interested in it or not, but I can figure that out here.鈥�

PGSS participants do not receive high school or college credit or even grades.

The PGSS team research projects are a badge of honor, allowing teens to complete original, hands-on research with expert guidance from faculty and access to state-of-the-art university laboratories.

PGSS culminates July 26-27 in a symposium showcasing the students鈥� hard work.

Perhaps Curtis A. Meyer, interim dean of the Mellon College of Science, best described the program鈥檚 impact as he spoke to students at the opening ceremony.

鈥淵ou are some of the brightest minds in Pennsylvania,鈥� Meyer said. 鈥淵ou are key to the state鈥檚 future and the country鈥檚 future. And your ability to innovate and develop creative solutions will transform the future of work and science for all of us.鈥�