Vicksburg STEM Night: Building an Outreach Community

In Fall of 2025, a community-wide STEM Night was hosted in Vicksburg, Mississippi, a city facing socioeconomic challenges that have historically limited access to STEM education and outreach in the K-12 age range. In the Vicksburg Warren School District, serving 6,800 students, over 70% of students were classified as economically disadvantaged, highlighting the need for STEM engagement opportunities to be accessible. The event, as a recipient of the Forum for Outreach and Engagement of the Public Mini-grant, aimed to provide a free and interactive evening for K–12 students, families, and educators to explore STEM in a fun and engaging environment. Vicksburg organizations at the event, including the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Applied Research Associates, and the Society of Women Engineers provided demonstrations in robotics, environmental science, physics, and engineering design. Additionally, university-based STEM organizations from Mississippi participated, supporting hands-on demonstrations and activities, promoting pathways to higher education. To foster a community between the exhibitors at the event, a two-hour networking event was held the night before where community members were able to socialize and engage. By bridging the gap between students, educators, industry, and academia, the Vicksburg STEM Night fostered community collaboration and hopes to inspire a new generation to envision futures in Vicksburg STEM as attainable and inclusive.