The XLR8-Lynchburg Regional Governor’s STEM Academy is proud to recognize the twenty-three (23) members of the inaugural class from the XLR8 STEM Academy. This is the culmination of a vision that began in 2012 to open a regional STEM Academy specializing in engineering and biotechnology to support the needs of the businesses and schools in the Region 2000 area. We opened our doors in August of 2013 and the first twenty-three students graduated from the STEM Academy and Central Virginia Community College in May of 2015.
Together, these students were able to earn thirty-one(31) Career Studies Certificates from Central Virginia Community College during their time at the STEM Academy. The students earned a Career Studies Certificate in Engineering Fundamentals and/or a Career Studies Certificate in Mechatronics. All of these graduates will be continuing their education in a STEM related area after graduation. Eight (8) graduates will be completing their education at Central Virginia Community College and fifteen (15) will be attending a 4 year college or university including: Emory & Henry, Liberty University, Lynchburg College, George Mason University, Old Dominion University, University of Kentucky, Virginia Military Institute and Virginia Tech.
At the STEM Academy Awards Dinner held on May 19th, 2015 to celebrate their graduation, the following special STEM Academy awards were voted on by members of the STEM Academy faculty and awarded to the STEM Academy students below:
Academic Excellence Award: Pegah Ghassemi
Most Improved Student: Elliott Andrews
Leadership Award: Dylan Wood
STEM Student of the Year: Rong Ni
Congratulations to the Class of 2015!