At a recent donor event, two of our alumni spoke about the impact of being DPEA graduates. They talked about the unique opportunities they have had in college and beyond, and they expressed their appreciation for what they gained as students in the program that prepared them to take advantage of those opportunities. Amir spoke about why we do what we do at the DPEA and why we are trying to build a STEAM Museum to benefit the wider community.
Why I love hiring dpea graduates
Watch DPEA Class of 2007 alum Robby Nielsen, current Operations Manager at Northrop Grumman in Goleta, speak about how DPEA alumni are challenging the status quo in industry and how their experiences in the DPEA make it possible for them to be on a fast track career advancement trajectory. Robby also highlights the quality of DPEA interns.
This is going to change your life
Watch DPEA Class of 2015 alum Kalina Burns, current senior in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Cal Poly SLO, speak about how being in the DPEA changed her life. She specifically talks about skillsets she gained in the DPEA that most college students haven’t had the opportunity to develop, and that have allowed her to garner coveted 3-6 month internships at APPLE and Google. Also, watch Amir recount his memory of her DPEA admissions interview when she was an 8th-grade student.
Why We Do What We Do at the DPEA
Watch DPEA Founder and Director Amir Abo-Shaeer speak about why we do what we do in the DPEA and why we are trying to build a STEAM Museum to benefit the wider community. He said that “nobody believes that kids can do authentic work, and if we did, school wouldn’t look the way it looks.” DPEA is built on the premise that “it is possible to build skills and work on things that are new and exciting” and that, if given the opportunity, high school students can achieve incredible things.