On July 18, eleven students from The Preuss School UCSD celebrated the completion of an intensive two-week summer research program with a poster symposium and luncheon at our La Jolla, Calif., campus. The Preuss School is a unique, charter middle and high school for low-income, highly motivated students who strive to become the first in their families to graduate from college.
Recognized by Newsweek as the top transformative high school in the nation for three years in a row, nearly 100 percent of their graduates go on to higher education—proving that the school does more than shape minds—it shapes futures. This marks the seventh year of the program at Sanford-Burnham, in which students participate in daily research lessons and laboratory experiments, and learn firsthand about a wide range of careers in science. The student’s time at the Institute culminated in a special poster symposium, which allowed the young scientists to showcase their research and present their work to their peers, in a format used by scientists the world over.
After the poster symposium, students, their families, and Preuss School benefactors enjoyed a luncheon where the students were presented with certificates of completion to commemorate their special time at Sanford-Burnham. Guy Salvesen, PhD, dean of Sanford-Burnham’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and associate director for education and mentoring in our NCI-designated Cancer Center, hosted the luncheon and presented the students with their certificates. “Students love this program because it allows them to try out a career in science at a very early age,” said Salvesen. “The main complaint we receive, believe it or not, is that they wish they could stay longer than two weeks! That’s something I never get tired of hearing. I am very proud of this year’s Preuss School interns—and look forward to seeing how this experience shapes their career decisions.”
The program is made possible by philanthropists Peggy and Peter Preuss and Debby and Wain Fishburn.
