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Middle and high school students interested in exploring science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs at Elgin Community College can attend a free open house on Thursday, March 9, from 6 to 8 pm. The STEM Open House offers tours of the ECC facilities and live demonstrations from professors.

“This is a fun and interactive event that will highlight STEM programs available at ECC,” said Renee Skrabacz, associate dean of health professions, math, science, and engineering. “This is an opportunity for those in the community to see ECC as a destination for students to pursue a degree and STEM career.”

STEM Open House attendees will get a guided tour of ECC’s classroom and lab facilities, plus live demonstrations from professors, including:

• Our Dynamic Earth
• Glimpse the ever-changing earth system through physical and conceptual models.

• Risk Factors and Interventions for Cardiovascular Disease
• Select cards to calculate your random risk factors for heart disease. See how nutritional and lifestyle interventions can lower those risk factors. 

• Survey of the Skeletal Muscles and Internal Organs of a Human Cadaver
• Participate in a respectful post-mortem viewing of the superficial musculature and major internal organs of human cadavers.

• The Non-Standard Dice Tournament
• Can you learn enough patterns in only a few minutes to win this unique tournament from the Math Department?

• VEX Robotics
• The ECC Engineering Tech Club will display their third-generation competition VEX robotics vehicles. Group members will be on site to share information on club activities and future opportunities.

Registration to attend the STEM Open House is encouraged. Complete event information and the online registration form are available at elgin.edu/events.

For more information on all the STEM programming offered at ECC, visit elgin.edu/STEM.

Elgin Community College (ECC), located halfway between Chicago and Rockford, Ill., is a comprehensive, fully accredited public community college, one of 48 statewide. ECC serves approximately 16,000 students each year. Programs of study include 25 major fields for university transfer, more than 130 career-oriented occupational degrees and certificates, corporate and continuing education, and a full complement of pre-collegiate courses. The three-year graduation rate exceeds the national average and the average of peer colleges.

The Aspen Institute recognizes ECC as one of the top 150 community colleges in the United States and, in 2022, was named among the top 25 colleges nationwide. ECC is an Achieving the Dream Leader College of Distinction, noted for its continued strategic focus and progress in reducing equity gaps and increasing overall student success metrics. ECC is also a designated Hispanic Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education.