TSEP takes 150 underrepresented high school students camping to learn about college and STEM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 23, 2017

CONTACT: KEVIN L. NICHOLS
Founder, President & CEO
The Social Engineering Project, Inc.
Phone: (415) 490–8010
Email: Kevin@TheSocialEngineer.org
Website: www.TheSocialEngineer.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSocialEngineerProject
Instagram: @SocialEnginProj
Twitter: @SocialEnginProj



1st Annual TSEP Overnight Camping Conference at YMCA Camp Loma Mar


Oakland, CA (August 23, 2017) — TSEP Overnight Camping Conference is a weekend long conference for underrepresented high school students throughout the Bay Area designed to motivate and inspire them to go to college and pursue a STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) related career. The Social Engineering Project, Inc. (“TSEP”) will take approximately 150 underrepresented 9th-12th high school students camping on buses from Santa Clara, Alameda, and Contra Costa counties to the Santa Cruz Mountains. The students will be free of the typical technological distractions (there is no signal, no internet connectivity, no texting or Wi-Fi) and will be one with nature. Many of the students have indicated that they have never been camping nor have been to the Santa Cruz Mountains before.

On the first day, the students will begin the weekend by going on a hike to gain a greater appreciation for the environment and their role in preserving it. Then the students will be broken up by gender and geographic regions in cabins. They will participate in ice breakers and team building exercises.

During the second day, the students will participate in workshops organized by various companies such as Microsoft (our lead sponsor), Northrop Grumman, PG&E, etc. about the types of technology these companies produce and what it is like working there, in order to motivate and inspire the students to pursue a career in technological fields.

On the last day, representatives from U.C. Berkeley and Stanford will go over the application process for college, including succeeding with standardized testing and personal statements. Moreover, the students will learn about the importance of networking by connecting with their cabin-mates and other members of the camp via LinkedIn, personal branding, and entrepreneurship.

The Key Outcomes are 1.) Desire to go to college; 2.) Pursue STEM related careers; 3.) Develop a deeper respect for the environment; 4.) Learn how to apply to college, excel on exams, financial aid, college life; and 5.) Learn about their personal brand, how to work in teams, entrepreneurship, and network for future collaboration.

“Having attended a similar camps as a high school student, chaired 2 of them as a college student for the National Society of Black Engineers, and now organizing them as an entrepreneur, I can truly attest to that power of being in a completely foreign environment with students from all over the Bay Area, learning about careers that you didn’t know existed, and being motivated to go to college,” says Kevin L. Nichols, TSEP’s Founder, President and CEO. “Many of the people that I have met have been life long friends, mentors, and sponsors. This is an invaluable life changing experience.”

TSEP is seeking 20 counselors, ideally juniors or seniors in college and/or recent graduates that either majored in or are working in STEM related/tech careers presently for the weekend. Approximately 6 students will be divided up by gender and buses into various cabins with one counselor to serve as their mentor/chaperone. Each counselor will have to pass a background check in order to participate. To apply, please visit http://bit.ly/TSEPcounselor.

Here is the registration link for the camp http://bit.ly/TSEPcc2017app. The cost per student is $50. There are hardship scholarships available, however, they must be entirely completed to be considered. Acceptance occurs on a first come, first serve basis until space is full.

TSEP OVERNIGHT CAMPING CONFERENCE
DATES: Friday, October 6th at noon through Sunday, October 8th at 4pm
LOCATION: YMCA Camp Loma Mar, in Loma Mar, California (Santa Cruz Mountains)


About
The Social Engineering Project, Inc. is an Oakland based Google and Microsoft funded social impact venture with Stanford University that is designed to address the lack of diversity in the tech industry. It accomplishes this through strategic diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting for tech companies and through pipeline programs. TSEP’s sponsoring 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization is the YMCA of the East Bay.

About
Kevin L. Nichols has worked in multifaceted capacities in some of the most prolific international law firms in the country, such as Morrison & Foerster, Paul Hastings, Heller Ehrman, and Hollan d & Knight. His interest in diversity and technology began while he was a mechanical engineering/diversity intern at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Later, he became the Executive Director of the California Diversity Council and the African American Wellness Project. Kevin has become a social networking expert and full-time consultant specializing in litigation technology (eDiscovery), diversity, and social media marketing for the legal industry. Nichols has been featured on LinkedIn’s Hall of Fame, Yahoo’s Blog, in the Examiner, CNN Money, MarketWatch and the Wall Street Journal. Millions saw Kevin while logging in to LinkedIn.com from 2012–2014. He is now the Founder, President & CEO of The Social Engineering Project, Inc., a joint venture between Stanford University, Google, Inc. and Microsoft designed to address the lack of diversity in the tech industry. For a full biography and CV, please visit http://bit.ly/KLNport.

​Please view some of the TSEP’s previous news coverage here.
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