Welcome to Pre-Engineering Program (PEP)
Pre-Engineering (PEP) is a weekly Saturday enrichment program for current 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students! We design the program to have hands-on STEM exploratory activities, Empowerment Sessions, and STEM Moments with Homework Help opportunities!
Pre-Engineering Program (PEP) is free to attend. However, there is a $10 application fee required at the time of submission.
- If your child is accepted and attends at least half of the program sessions, the $10 will be refunded.
- If your child is not accepted into the program, the $10 will also be refunded.
Program Dates:
- October 4, 2026
- October 18, 2026
- October 25, 2026
- November 8, 2026
- November 15, 2026
No sessions on:
- October 11, 2026 - We encourage you to go to Open House
- November 1, 2026 - We encourage you to go to STEM Hallows (more info later)
A typical PEP Day:
Lunch will be provided!
| Time | Component |
| 10:00 - 10:20 AM | Arrival to campus (Parent Drop Off behind Castleman on Glenbrook road) |
| 10:30 - 10:45 AM | Welcome and plans for the day |
| 10:45 - 11:05 AM | Engaging STEM Presentation of the Day |
| 11:05 - 12:15 PM | Hands on STEM Activity |
| 12:15 - 1:00 PM | Lunch/BREAK |
| 1:00 - 1:25 PM | Empowerment Block |
| 1:25 - 1:45 PM | STEM GAME |
| 1:45 - 2:00 PM | Prepare for dismissal |
Questions?
Contact jerri.robinson@uconn.edu.
Information for UConn Volunteers and Host Student Organizations
| Time | Description | Location |
| 9:00 AM | All volunteers need to arrive by this time | Check in at CAST 201 Classroom |
| 9:00 - 9:15 AM | Volunteer Huddle | CAST 201 Classroom |
| 9:15 - 9:45 AM | General PEP Volunteers: Lay out Welcome Packets & Name Tags Org Volunteers: Setup for STEM Activity (If your activity needs more setup time, please plan to arrive earlier) |
CAST 201 Classroom,
CAST 204 & Room 212 (Org/Program Volunteers) |
| 9:45 - 10:00 AM | Final preparations for student arrival General Volunteers: Be In position to escort students to classrooms Org Volunteers: Final classroom setup and be ready to receive students |
CAST 201, CAST 204 & Room 212 |
| 10:00 - 10:15 AM | General Volunteers: Help escort students from the lobby to classroom
Org Volunteers: Welcome students, facilitate name tags |
CAST 201 Classroom |
| 10:15 - 10:30 AM | Welcome & Plans for the Day
All volunteers present for greeting and introductions Org volunteers leave after intros to respective activity rooms |
CAST 201 Classroom |
| 10:30 - 10:50 AM | Engaging STEM Presentation of the Day | CAST 201, CAST 204 & Room 212 |
| 10:50 - 12:00 PM | Hands-on STEM Activity
Org Volunteers: Lead facilitation General Volunteers: Support students and engagement |
CAST 201, CAST 204 & Room 212 |
| 12:00- 12:05 PM | Bathroom break
Org Volunteers support as needed General Volunteers begin lunch setup (if needed earlier, start by 11:45 AM) |
|
| 12:05 - 12:45 PM | Lunch
Volunteers take breaks as needed while ensuring students still have at least 2 volunteers present |
CAST 201 |
| 12:45 - 1:10 PM | Empowerment Session
Volunteers support as needed, or take a break if not assisting directly |
CAST 201, CAST 204 & Room 212 |
| 1:10 - 1:30 PM | STEM Game | CAST 201, CAST 204 & Room 212 |
| 1:30 - 1:40 PM | Regroup & Student Survey (QR Code on screen) | CAST 201 Classroom |
| 1:40 - 1:45PM | Bathroom Check
Org Volunteers begin cleanup |
|
| 1:45 - 2:00 PM | General Volunteers: Escort Parent/Guardian Group to Lobby
Wait in the lobby until students are picked up VII Staff (Bus Group Only): Take attendance in classroom, then escort students to the bus |
|
| 2:00 - 2:15 PM | Org Volunteers: Continue cleaning up | |
| 2:15 - 2:30 PM | All volunteers support final clean-up |
Thank you so much for volunteering your time and energy for our Pre-Engineering Program (PEP)!
Host Days (primary organization leading):
Boat Camp - April 5th
SPARK - March 29th
Signing Up to Volunteer
If you are a part of a student organization:
- Sign up through your organization (check in with your leaders (i.e. President, Outreach Chair, TORCH Chair etc) on how to sign up)
- Org Leaders, be sure to update the spreadsheet called PEP Logistics that was emailed to you.
- Deadline to update the appropriate tab on the PEP Logistics Shared Spreadsheet for all organizations by (Pending Deadline).
If you are not a part of a student organization, but would like to volunteer
- Sign up to be a general PEP Volunteer here
- Deadline to volunteer for a session is 1 week before the date of the session you are volunteering for
Walk-Through/Practice Session Days :
Spark - Monday March 24 at 6:30pm
Boat Camp - Monday March 31 at 6:00pm
All Sessions are in-person at VII Office E320 (for organization and general volunteers only): Join Call Here
Please email engr-peptest@uconn.edu if you or your organization are not able to attend or need to reschedule