A Focus On STEM Education Through the Eyes of a PPPS/CDI intern Mounica Gummadi

What are PPPS and CDI? The Penn Program for Public Service Internship and Civic Development Internship PPPS is a summer-long internship program through the Netter Center that offers students an opportunity to simultaneously take an Urban Studies course with Dr. Harkavy while working in the West Philadelphia community (ABCS). In this course, students learn how to propose a PSL (problem-solving learning) paper where they present a feasible solution to a problem in the community that they find important. Students chosen as CDI interns continue their work with the PSL by implementing their solutions.

MY PSL Problem: STEM education in West Philadelphia Schools Solution: To strengthen already existing programming to increase the impact made by university students. Focus on increasing fellow support within the Moelis Access Science program which impacts the work that students do in the classrooms.

Work as a CDI Continue work as a Moelis Access Science fellow while trying to implement some of the changes that I proposed in my PSL Worked throughout this year with MAS leadership to both understand and change how teaching fellows are supported for their work in the classroom. Major recent developments include the implementation of site coordinators at partner schools as well as site meetings with teachers, school officials, fellows and MAS leadership.

Personal Development Knowing I have the power to create change Putting my ideas into action Building and maintaining relationships/partnerships Following through with a plan despite the challenges

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