Partnerships with STEM-Rich Institutions

This issue brief illustrates the power of strong, successful partnerships between afterschool programs and STEM-rich institutions. Additionally, the partnerships described offer promising and innovative models that can have a significant impact on both students and their instructors. Afterschool programs have a long and rich history of leveraging community resources to best meet the needs of the youth they serve. They recognize that STEM-rich institutions -- science centers and museums, universities and colleges, corporations and businesses, and government agencies -- have a lot to offer. All of these institutions in turn have keen interests, and sometimes a major stake, in K-12 STEM education. Partnerships leverage the STEM expertise and resources of the institution -- and in combination with the youth development expertise of afterschool professionals, they open up the possibility for incredibly impactful STEM learning opportunities for youth.