The Student STEM Experiential Learning Foundation (SSELF) is a student-run nonprofit focused on sustaining and expanding the CBSD Biotechnology program. The Biotech program connects STEM students with hands-on research, industry professionals, and collaborative projects that help turn curiosity into real experience. While funding this program, SSELF enables equally valuable opportunities for members – both participating students and donors. As mentioned by Alexis Cho, business manager for SSELF, “SSELF has been an awesome way for me to learn by working in different fields, just like how I get real-world STEM experience in the Biotech program.” In fact, SSELF is one of the few places that students can turn to to gain hands-on experience in fields outside STEM, such as business, marketing, media, IT and graphic arts.
Over the past year, the SSELF teams has built a solid foundation for the corporation, developing an organizational structure, establishing policies and procedures, and holding regular board and subcommittee meetings; a robust technology infrastructure was created via Google Workspace. Recently, SSELF members have been focused on expanding outreach and communication efforts. Participants are conducting interviews with Biotech Program graduates, recording podcasts, and developing educational and marketing content to help more students learn about available opportunities. This includes building a website and increasing our following on social media platforms. SSELF has also hosted a variety of events, including guest speakers and Biotech poster sessions, with many more to come. These efforts are part of a broader push to make participation in STEM and business more accessible and visible within the student community. For members involved from the beginning, this growth has been especially meaningful: “SSELF has been a great experience for me. It has given me the opportunity to be a part of an organization that functions like a real-life organization – because it is. Being a part of it from almost the very beginning, it has been great to see how far it has come as an organization, with all the people we have brought on, and the expansions we have made with different branches. I have learned valuable business experience, specifically in expectations, presence, and communication,” said Thomas O’Reilly of the Leadership Council.
SSELF is growing its membership and encouraging students with a variety of interests to get involved. Participants gain valuable exposure to how STEM-related businesses and nonprofits operate – learning skills in fundraising, donor relations, and strategic planning. “SSELF has been one of the most valuable experiences throughout high school for me. It’s propelled my leadership and management skills,” says Laney Dare Hampton, Executive Director of SSELF. Whether you are interested in research, website creations, communications, creative media, or IT, SSELF offers ways for everyone to contribute and develop valuable skills while collaborating with peers who share similar interests. Related networking has already led to paid job opportunities for SSELF members.
A key aspect of SSELF’s mission is its partnership with local businesses that provide the donations necessary to keep the Biotech program running. SSELF aims to enable tax credits and to provide positive PR for its business partners. Donors to SSELF not only support student engagement in hands-on STEM projects but also become key players in the development of future leaders in both science and business. When they contribute to the CBSD Biotechnology program, donors make a real impact in their community by expanding opportunities for students to engage in meaningful, real-world work.
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Learn More: https://www.sself.org/
Become a Member: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSet1htzaqhJdHwppqSfzkVJ3kD8srIT5_m21j18c2eUKOO9Mw/viewform?usp=header
Connect with us:
- Instagram: @studentstemexperientiallf
- Tiktok: @sstemexperientiallf
- Facebook: SSELF
- Linkedin: Student STEM Experiential Learning Foundation (SSELF)
- Spotify: The SSELF Podcast
Through collaboration, creativity, and hands-on learning, SSELF aims to empower the next generation of innovators and problem solvers.
