Summit EducationReviews of summitstemfellowship.org

Being part of the STEM Fellowship has been a truly meaningful and inspiring experience. Throughout the program, I had the opportunity to learn about different areas of STEM and explore topics that expanded my understanding of the field. One of the highlights for me was learning with Jiwoo and gaining valuable insights from her guidance and perspective. I also really appreciated the college application advice, which gave me a better understanding of how to approach the application process and prepare for my future. The fireside chat about time management was another experience that stood out to me, as it taught me practical ways to balance my responsibilities and make the most of my time. Beyond the academic experience, I had the opportunity to meet students from different countries and learn about their interests, experiences, and cultures. Most importantly, the fellowship strengthened my interest in medicine and motivated me to continue exploring my passion for STEM. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and for all the knowledge, connections, and experiences I gained throughout the program. I leave the fellowship feeling happy, inspired, and more confident about my goals and my future.

Summit STEM Fellowship was a really motivating experience, especially because I got to learn alongside driven students and hear directly from mentors with impressive academic backgrounds. The fireside chats were probably the most valuable part for me because they covered practical skills, perspectives, and advice that can really help students make the most of high school. I think it’s an especially great program for younger students, since a lot of what you learn becomes more useful the earlier you start applying it.

Overall I really enjoyed both programs and gained. a lot out of them. SSF allowed me to hear the stories of inspiring individuals and helped me decide my goals and plan how I would achieve them. As someone who didn't have a lot of experience in research, SRS helped me understand what it actually is, and enable me to develop my own research proposal. Additionally, the optional activities of both programs like science trivia and game night were really fun and it was great to interact with other members of the program.

Summit STEM Fellowship was honestly one of the most meaningful experiences I had this year. I attended every session on the schedule, both required and optional, and completed every deliverable throughout the fellowship. From the Ideathon Reveal and Fireside Chats to STEM Shorts and Game & Networking Night, every session gave me something different to learn from. Office Hours were probably my favorite part. Getting one-on-one time with a mentor is something you don’t get very often, and I really enjoyed my first conversation with Eric. It gave me a different perspective on how to think about ideas and, more importantly, how to take them seriously enough to actually do something with them. Then, during one of the sessions at around 3 AM, the idea for BridgeStep Mentorship came to me. I wrote it down right away. I remember sitting there afterward, looking at my notes and thinking, “I already have the idea, and I know why it matters. So what am I waiting for?” That conversation with Eric was a big part of what made me look at the idea differently and actually start building it. Because of the time difference, most of the sessions were after midnight for me, and I’d often stay up until around 5 AM to attend them live. It was tiring, but I genuinely wanted to be there. I wasn’t just listening to talks; I was hearing how different people approached ideas and problems, and it made me more confident in my own ideas. Michael Chin’s Ideathon talk stayed with me, especially the way it made me think about turning an idea into something concrete. Sabrina’s storytelling session also changed how I think about communicating ideas. More than anything, SSF taught me that having an idea is one thing, but communicating it, acting on it, and following through is what makes it meaningful. While I was still in the fellowship, I shared BridgeStep on EdSTEM, and several people from SSF reached out because they wanted to help build it. Seeing people from SSF reach out made me realize that the idea I had written down at 3 AM could actually grow into something bigger than I had imagined. That’s what I’ll remember most about SSF. I didn’t just leave with things I had learned. I left with an idea I cared about and the confidence to actually start building it.

SSF has easily been the most impactful experience of my high school career and I am so grateful to have been a part of it. During Coffee Chats, I met students from all over the world including from countries such as Montreal and Myanmar. Through the Ideathons, I watched with awe as an idea of mine took form within a few days. During weekend office hours, I connected 1 on 1 with esteemed mentors from across the country, who provided guidance and thoughtful advice, thoroughly detailing how they got to each achievement and how we as students can too. Fireside Chats, STEM Shorts, and Game Nights are other events that were outstanding. I made sure to take notes on each Fireside Chat, as it was truly a transformative experience. Through my capstone project, I was able to thoroughly process all of the incredible knowledge which I had acquired, and apply it into my own life through the launch of my newest initiative, Baked 4 Cause. SSF not only helps you create a project, but they keep you connected and supported the entire time, even after the program. My peers have started podcasts, nonprofits, written books, and much more, all stemming from SSF. Words cannot describe the impact that this program will have on its students. With my whole heart, I give nothing but the highest recommendation to Summit Education. If you are a student with many ideas and a lot of enthusiasm with an interest in STEM, SSF is exactly where you want to be. Through this program, you will find confidence in your skills and pathway, create lifelong international friendships and lasting relationships with incredible mentors, and SO much more. Apply to SSF and watch your ideas come to life.

The whole experience wasn’t really as overwhelming as I thought it would be. Despite the many zoom meetings we had to attend, the assignments and coffee chats really made it a fun experience. I learned a lot and now know how to push my ideas out there! I’m not a really special or incredibly smart person; however, talking with others and getting a lot of support helped a lot!!

SSF was such an amazing experience! If you’re looking for a program with many esteemed mentors, excellent insight and seminars, and the guidance to make an impact in your community, then SSF is the perfect place for you. I know of so many passion projects (books, NPOs, podcasts, etc) that were launched over the course of these 3 weeks. The best advice I can give is to meet with everyone and anyone. There are students and mentors from all over the world, so engage with them! Additionally, I highly recommend SRS. If you are looking for an intro to research, SRS is a great opportunity. The staff are some of the sweetest people you will ever meet and truly want to help you! Thank you to Anne, Eric, Isabella, Sree, Justine, Karen, Dylan, Isha, Elena, and everyone else who help make this program possible!

Incredibly fun and rewarding experience. What they do is they bring over successful people in their respective fields, or successful students in extremely prestigious colleges and they talk about what made them so successful. One example was Jenny Xu, CEO of Talofa Games, and what she did was talk about her entire journey and the biggest takeaways.