When Julie Hasse, Wayne State’s associate director of marketing and communications, started planning Wayne State’s inaugural STEM Day event in 2017, she remembers thinking that there might be room to grow the event. Now, three years later, Wayne State’s fourth annual STEM Day is expected to draw 1,800 sixth- through ninth-grade students to participate in more than 80 interactive sessions throughout campus on Tuesday, March 12.

“We think the word has really gotten out about what a meaningful and rewarding event STEM Day is,” Hasse said. “I get countless emails and calls from teachers and parents who have heard about the success of this event and want their students to experience it.”

The event, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., combines learning and experimentation in all areas of science, technology, engineering and math. Students from more than 40 schools in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties will learn how these fields can create pathways toward careers in those key areas.

In addition to the sessions, attendees will experience Wayne State through campus tours and a complimentary lunch. STEM Day is free and open to teachers and their classes, as well as individual and home-schooled students.

“Each year we’ve grown, and each year we have an extensive wait list,” Hasse said. “This year was no different.”

Hasse said that there are major sponsors on board. C&IT is a Gold Sponsor of this year’s event, and Robot Garage, STEM.org, Mike’s Pizza, Bel Dene Produce are all Green Sponsors. “It’s tremendously gratifying to have the support of such great corporate sponsors.”

This year, each of Wayne State’s 13 schools and colleges will be involved in STEM Day, including Wayne State’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, College of Education, College of Engineering, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and the School of Medicine.

“It’s important that we emphasize that STEM is not the sole domain of the hard sciences,” Hasse said. “We’ve integrated the arts into our event so there is truly something of interest to everyone. STEM is an important part of each college and school at Wayne State, and we strive to make sure that students in every area of study have access to STEM-related instruction and opportunities.”

For a full description of all STEM sessions and activities, and other important event information, go to wayne.edu/stemday/sessions/.