New Governor's School Announced for Lehigh University

Lehigh joins two other prestigious institutions hosting Governor’s schools: the newly-designated Governor’s School for the Agricultural Sciences at Penn State University in Centre County and the Governor’s School for the Sciences (PGSS) at Carnegie Mellon University, which reintroduced the program in 2013 after a 5-year hiatus.

The goal of the program is to encourage young talent to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines, thereby fostering global competitiveness in engineering and technology for Pennsylvania and the nation. At the heart of the program is its cooperative living and learning environment. Participants are encouraged to work in teams and solve complex problems, both in the classroom and in the laboratory, using the sophisticated technology and facilities available at Lehigh.

Students who are selected to attend the Governor’s Schools receive full scholarships, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the universities, and private and corporate donations.
 

“Our goal is to develop a citizen-type engineer, allowing students to explore the technical aspects of engineering and how they can apply that to the world around them,” said Alyssa Clap, administrative director of the program at Lehigh. “As a university with a long and rich history in engineering, a diversity of students, and top-notch research facilities, we believe Lehigh is the perfect location and we are extremely excited about this opportunity.”

The Lehigh program will require students to focus on so-called grand challenges on the cutting edge of scientific inquiry: energy, healthcare/bioengineering, nanotechnology, cybersecurity/military technology, transportation/infrastructure, environment/sustainability, manufacturing/additive manufacturing and 3D printing.

“Lehigh’s program will focus on attracting bright high school juniors from across the commonwealth and providing them with a true taste of a rigorous university curriculum,” said Patrick Farrell, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “We believe hands-on lab experience, direct faculty contact and a host of grand challenges will bridge the gap between high school and college and keep them passionate about engineering.”

Lehigh will provide access to resources and facilities not normally available in high school. PGSE&T faculty are recruited from Lehigh and other leading regional institutions, but formal instruction and team research is conducted entirely at Lehigh.

The program is sponsored by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Education and Corporations and Friends of the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for Engineering and Technology.
 

Academically talented, currently-enrolled high school juniors may apply. Applicants are expected to demonstrate academic achievement, sustained interest in the sciences and mathematics, engineering and technology, and a record of pursuing this interest in activities beyond the classroom.

The postmarked deadline for student applications is April 18th.