Virginia Tech partners with Washington Gas
Washington Gas and Virginia Tech are partnering together to enhance science, technology, engineering, and math education (STEM) in the greater Washington, D.C., area and throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The collaboration, made possible by a generous $430,000 gift from Washington Gas, is one of numerous Virginia Tech initiatives designed to increase pathways into higher education through STEM disciplines. It will specifically emphasize engineering and the future of the energy industry.
“Washington Gas is honored to partner with Virginia Tech and promote STEM education across the Commonwealth of Virginia. Together, our program will help shape future generations of students and workers exploring energy in school studies or as an occupation,” said Blue Jenkins, president of Washington Gas. “A core part of our corporate values is to give back to the communities we have proudly served as a D.C.-area provider of energy for more than 172 years, and working together with Virginia Tech is a perfect fit for these shared values.”
Washington Gas and Virginia Tech are providing professional learning programs for Career and Technical Education (CTE) and other STEM teachers and administrators, to develop and implement 10 energy-focused high school courses in their school divisions that are part of the new 17th Career Cluster recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor and implemented by the Virginia legislature.
Led by the Virginia Department of Education, eight of the new courses were collaboratively designed by representatives from the energy industry, community colleges, nonprofit organizations, James Madison University, and Virginia Tech. Students can participate in any two or more of the courses in preparation for college engineering programs while also achieving industry certifications.
The partnership builds on the success of Virginia Tech’s Qualcomm Thinkabit Lab programs in Northern Virginia. This STEM outreach program is supported by the Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Diversity and Virginia Tech’s School of Education. Since 2016, more than 20,000 students and their teachers have visited the lab to learn how to design, build, and program their own microelectronic innovations, while also learning about emerging technologies in sensors, indicators, actuators, and wireless connectivity advantaged by 5G and the Internet of Things (IOT).
“Virginia Tech’s STEM education programs in the D.C. area have hosted over 26,000 students, teachers, parents, and business and community members in its first five years,” said Bevlee Watford, Virginia Tech College of Engineering associate dean and director of the Center for Enhancement of Engineering Diversity. “We look forward to our partnership with Washington Gas to expand our reach by engaging with even more teachers who are passionate about this important work.”
With the support for the new high school initiatives, Virginia Tech has also begun developing energy-related technology modules for elementary and middle school. Virginia Tech has also developed new STEM initiatives and youth leadership programs supporting Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church, and Fairfax County schools.
“The Washington Gas leaders have already helped to expand our programs and outreach,” said Jim Egenrieder, founding director of the Virginia Tech Thinkabit Lab and the leader of the College of Engineering’s STEM education outreach in the D.C. area. “We know the outcomes and impacts over the next three years will only grow.”
