x
Breaking News
More () »

Mercer University students work to spread the importance of education

The Mercer chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers will head into Macon Housing Authority neighborhoods to hand out educational resources.

MACON, Ga. — Brandi Lewis and Samantha Pringle felt the spark for STEM education years ago.

"I always had a fascination with understanding and learning how do things work and, 'How do things come together to make something?'" Lewis said.

"I was introduced to STEM at an early age, and I actually wanted to be a neurologist," Pringle said. 

Now, the two are members of the National Society of Black Engineers at Mercer, and are both in their senior year studying for careers in STEM fields.

This means, Lewis and Pringle are pursuing majors that prove education is a major priority.

"You basically need a Bachelor's degree to do anything," Lewis said.

"Any type of job that's going to provide you with a decent income, you need that degree. It's almost a necessity at this point," she continued. 

That's just part of the message Lewis hopes to spread with her club over the weekend.

On Saturday, Brandi and Samantha, along with about 100 other volunteers, will head out of the classroom and step out into the community to share their love of learning and also hand out other important resources.

"School supplies like paper folders, and this is actually a flyer for free GED classes, we also have those as well," Pringle said, going through one of the bags they plan to hand out on the weekend.

Last year, they reached around 1,000 homes in Macon with their goodie bags, information on financial aid, and encouraging conversations.

"You can work at it to get better, there's always room to improve," Pringle said.

"A lot of these kids, they might not know what an engineer is, or have never seen someone that looks like them who is going into engineering, so just being a face in the community and showing them whats possible," Lewis said.

The two hope they can promote a positive attitude toward education in Macon's neighborhoods, and reach even more people than last year. 

RELATED: Here's the 'Good News' in Central Georgia: October 13-19

RELATED: Athlete of the Week: Sparrow Jenkins

RELATED: Mercer to launch Office of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives in October

RELATED: High schoolers learn about storytelling at Mercer Digital Media Summer Camp

STAY ALERT | Download our FREE app now to receive breaking news and weather alerts. You can find the app on the Apple Store and Google Play.

STAY UPDATED | Click here to subscribe to our Midday Minute newsletter and receive the latest headlines and information in your inbox every day.

Have a news tip? Email news@13wmaz.com, or visit our Facebook page.

Before You Leave, Check This Out