Next Gen Scholars brings Ohio State Marion to the Marion Family YMCA Teen Recreation Center. The program started as a pilot in autumn 2025. Middle school students do hands-on STEAM activities and early college prep in a community space they already know and trust. They work with university faculty and STEAM role models on real-world challenges, and along the way they build confidence, curiosity, and a sense that they belong in academic settings.
What Next Gen Scholars Does
- Opens the door to college: Students get early exposure to university pathways and college prep activities.
- Builds confidence and curiosity: Applied STEAM challenges help students see themselves as capable learners.
- Strengthens the Teen Rec Center: YMCA staff gain the capacity to offer more advanced STEAM programming.
- Connects campus and community: Ohio State Marion faculty and students gain new avenues for community-engaged scholarship.
Next Gen Scholars is a partnership between Ohio State Marion and the Marion Family YMCA.