Robert HitchcockWeek four of Chapman University’s Summer Engineering Academy brought a special group into the Fowler School of Engineering’s labs: six troop members from Girl Scouts of Orange County who joined students from across the region for a week-long immersive hands-on experience in engineering.
The Summer Engineering Academy, hosted in the Swenson Family Hall of Engineering’s Design, Create, and Innovate (DCI) Lab and geared toward students in grades 8-12, gave the scouts access to the same advanced equipment and tools used by Chapman engineering students, including laser cutters, CNC routers, and a variety of 3D printers. Along the way, they also learned to work with industry-standard software such as Fusion 360, PrusaSlicer, and Adobe Illustrator.
Vincent Vumbaco, Assistant Director at the Fowler School of Engineering, introduced the scouts to a variety of design and fabrication techniques in his guided workshop.
“We’re hoping to inspire the next generation of engineers,” Vumbaco said. “By introducing these students to tools and processes they may never have experienced before, we’re showing them the possibilities — it’s about giving them the skills, the confidence, and the exposure to see themselves in this field.”
Throughout the week, the Girl Scouts and other students engaged in project-based learning, problem-solving, and the engineering design process — iterating on their prototypes and exploring both additive and subtractive manufacturing techniques.
For many of the Girl Scouts, the experience was both inspiring and eye-opening.
“I am a future engineer because it’s something I enjoy,” said Orange County Girl Scout Fiona Ashley. “This week is teaching me that I can pursue what I wish to, with all the professors and teachers telling us we can do what we want.”
Fellow troop member Lauren McTyre, agreed. “I am very glad the Girl Scouts got invited this year so that we got to experience this,” she said. “Overall, I think all the machines, how they work, and figuring out all the programs are really cool.”
For Gulianna Rodriguez, the workshop was also a lesson in collaboration. “I am learning that sometimes you can get very frustrated in engineering,” she said. “But asking for help, asking other people to help you, and learning from them, is really helpful.”
The week was made special when Fowler School of Engineering Interim Dean Dr. Kendall Harris stopped by to meet and inspire the students, and to check out the trebuchets (a medieval catapult) these future engineers created.
“This is amazing,” said Dr. Harris. “Just to see them go through the process of design, build, fabrication, and then the launching – this is great – I wish I would have had these opportunities when I was in high school. This is our future.”
As the week came to an end, the scouts left not just with their completed projects, but with a new sense of possibility. For Chapman, that’s exactly the point — to spark curiosity, inspire confidence, and create a pathway toward solving the world’s biggest problems through engineering.
For more information on the Fowler School of Engineering’s Summer Engineering Academy at Chapman University, click here.
