WIE Aspire! Explore Engineering

The Women in Engineering (WIE) Program in the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland (UMD) is excited to offer the WIE Aspire summer program designed for rising 9th and 10th grade students who are interested in exploring engineering majors, opportunities, and careers. This week-long, commuter program introduces participants to the field of engineering through hands-on projects, engineering lab and facilities tours, and conversations with faculty, staff, and students in the Clark School of Engineering. UMD Engineering students will serve as summer program interns to support participants with an enriching summer experience.  Our programs are open to all students!

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Program Curriculum

Each day you will engage with different engineering majors (Aerospace, Bioengineering, Chemical, Civil & Environmental, Electrical and Computer, Fire Protection, Materials Science,  Mechanical) through department presentations and participate in hands-on activities to illustrate basic engineering concepts and the interdisciplinary nature of engineering. 

Please note that this serves as an example of a typical day.  Specific activities and times are subject to change. Each day will include department presentations, and hands-on activities and workshops. View the summer 2025 schedule as an example. 

 

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM   Engineering Presentations and Department Talks & Demos

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM   Lunch & community building

1:00 PM - 3:30 PM     Engineering workshops and activities 

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Program Goals

• Build enthusiasm in the possibility of pursuing a career in engineering
• Introduce high school students to various opportunities in engineering 
• Showcase the interdisciplinary nature of engineering
• Gain experience with hands-on engineering activities
• Foster community among like-minded students who are interested in STEM

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Program Dates

Daily Hours: 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM

This is a commuter program; participants are expected to attend the entire program. Drop off each day is between 8:30 -8:45 AM; Pick up each day is at 3:30 PM.

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Program Cost

The Summer 2026 program cost per student is $650. 

This fee covers all project materials and activities. Students should plan to bring their own lunch from home each day. Transportation to and from the program is not included. All travel arrangements are to be made by the student and their families as we do not offer transportation to and from the program. Participants are required to be signed in and signed out of the program each day by an authorized adult.

The WIE Program is committed to providing access to our programs independent of an individual's financial circumstances. Scholarships are available to admitted participants with demonstrated financial need. Once admission notifications are made, participants will receive information on scholarship opportunities as well as payment procedures.

Cancellation Policy:  Once registration is complete and you have submitted payment for WIE Aspire, we will not be able to refund your payment if your student is no longer able to attend.

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Program Application

To apply for WIE Aspire! Explore Engineering, please visit: go.umd.edu/2026WIEAspire

As part of the application, you will be prompted to:

• Share about your interest in engineering and the WIE Aspire program.
• Upload a copy of your middle school report card for rising 9th graders or your high school transcript (official or unofficial) for those in high school.
• Submit an online STEM teacher recommendation form.

Application Deadline for Best Consideration: March 1, 2026

Status Responses for all applications received by the March 1st best consideration date will be emailed on March 31, 2026.

Applications received after the best consideration date of March 1, 2026 will be reviewed as space becomes available and/or placed on a waitlist once the program is full.