Ruth Patrick Science Education Center Receives $10,000 Donation from Generac in Support of STEM Education

The Ruth Patrick Science Education Center (RPSEC) at the University of South Carolina Aiken today announced it received a $10,000 donation in support of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education from the Generac Foundation. The donation will provide support for RPSEC's SEED STEM Festival, Full STEAM Ahead – Exploration event, content series student programs, and South Carolina Regional Future City Competition.

RPSEC programming infuses a love for science, technology, engineering and mathematics among school-aged children through hands-on teaching and experiences. The center also promotes lifelong learning and empowers individuals to make informed decisions through its use of innovative teaching methods and instructional models.

"We are grateful to the Generac Foundation for their generous support, which will allow us to enhance STEM programming in our area," said Dr. Gary Senn, director of RPSEC and Westinghouse Endowed Professor in Instructional Technology at USC Aiken. "We look forward to integrating the Generac team into our programming for the 2023 year, so that they also have the opportunity to see firsthand the impact of their support."

The Generac Foundation is a private foundation focused on making a meaningful impact that will power possibilities and strengthen communities where Generac employees live and work. Generac has a facility in Trenton, South Carolina.

"This partnership with the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center allows us to deliver hands-on STEM learning opportunities and help inspire young people with curious minds," said Kelly Skindzelewski, Generac Foundation Manager. "These are critical skills for the future and these programs provide fun and interesting ways to activate STEM skills."

The RPSEC building contains the Dupont Planetarium, the Crawford Greenewalt Solarium, the Herb Eleuterio Teacher Resource Room, The Westinghouse Physical Science Class/Lab, the NCNB Life Science Class/Lab, and the Apple Computer Learning Center. Many science, mathematics and engineering applications are architecturally integrated into the building itself to enhance learning. These special features demonstrate science principles and everyday applications of science.

More information can be found online at: usca.edu/rpsec.