Building Leaders for Advancing Science and Technology, BLAST, is a FREE program designed to help Virginia 8th and 9th-grade students find their place in STEM. Participants spend three days at a college dorm doing hands-on STEM activities.
BLAST is a partnership between the VSGC, Old Dominion University, Radford University, University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, William & Mary, and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Applications: Open December 1 – February 1
Building Leaders for Advancing Science and Technology offers an exciting way for rising 9th and 10th grade students to spend three days of summer! Participating students get to stay in a college dorm and see what campus life is like on-site at one of our five partner universities: Old Dominion University, Radford University, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, or William & Mary. No previous experience in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) is needed, and this program is FREE for participants. BLAST is designed to increase students access to high quality, immersive STEM experiences, and help students find their place in STEM.
Each day of BLAST is jam-packed with STEM-related activities and demonstrations led by faculty of the university. Students come away from BLAST with a greater sense of curiosity, deeper insight about the variety of careers that exist in STEM fields, and enhanced readiness for advanced programs in science, technology, engineering, and math.
Click the button above to watch a video that shows a snapshot from past BLAST sessions. You will find more information about the program, as well as the online application, through the tabs above.
The BLAST program is a partnership between the Virginia Space Grant Consortium, Old Dominion University, Radford University, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, William & Mary, and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Program History
Building Leaders for Advancing Science and Technology (BLAST) is a partnership between the Virginia Space Grant Consortium, Old Dominion University (ODU), Radford University (RU), University of Virginia (UVA), Virginia Tech (VT), William & Mary (W&M), and the Commonwealth of Virginia. The program was funded by the General Assembly with the purpose of increasing the number of high school graduates who pursue STEM careers by increasing students’ access to STEM enrichment experiences.
BLAST Benefits
BLAST exposes students to an exciting range of hands-on STEM learning experiences and gives participants a sense of what life is like on a college campus. Through faculty and staff-led activities, demonstrations, tours, and guest lectures, students fine-tune their STEM interests and discover how they can align with a range of STEM careers. Many participants have shared that these experiences helped them make decisions about what classes to take before they graduate high school, and majors they will consider in college.
Students may apply to attend any ONE session at either William & Mary, Virginia Tech, the University of Virginia, Radford University, or Old Dominion University.
Qualifications and Requirements
Selection Process
All qualified applications will be reviewed by a panel of educators, and student selections will be made for the number of available slots for each university. Geographic and demographic diversity are taken into consideration as well as students who have not had previous access to STEM enrichment experiences. Applicants will be notified of acceptance at the end of March.
Calling all middle and high school STEM and CTE teachers!
We are looking for teachers with the following experience:
BLAST chaperones will attend the BLAST residential program at one or more of the five sessions to be held at Old Dominion University, William & Mary, Virginia Tech, Radford University, and/or the University of Virginia. In addition to supporting the summer session(s), BLAST Chaperones will serve as program ambassadors during the fall of the following school year by promoting the program within their district. BLAST chaperones will accompany and walk students to all activities, tours, and demonstrations and encourage participation. Chaperones will assist with or orchestrate icebreaker activities as needed and ensure student safety. Chaperones will complete online tutorials and background checks as required by the university Youth Protection Office.
BLAST Teacher Chaperone Stipend
$1000
Accommodations
All meals will be provided during the BLAST session. Chaperones will be housed at the institution’s dorms, near their student group.
Application Deadline: February 1
Letters of Recommendation
Two letters of recommendation must be provided by a current or former supervisor, department chair, school administrator, or someone who can attest to the applicant’s professional qualifications. Once the applicant has submitted their application, the system will email the specified individuals instructions on how to submit their online letters of recommendation. Inform them that they will be receiving an email from notices@spacegrant.net with these instructions.
All letters of recommendation must be submitted via the online application system. Letters of recommendation submitted in any other manner will not be accepted.
Important Note: It is the responsibility of the applicant to follow up with the people who are providing letters of recommendation to ensure the recommendations are submitted electronically by the deadline. The applicant will receive an email notification when each of these letters is submitted.
Q: Can I apply to BLAST again if I participated last year?
A: No. To offer the BLAST experience to as many Virginia students as possible, participation is limited to once per student.
Q: I applied to BLAST last year but was not selected. Can I apply again this year?
A: If you meet the qualification requirements this year and have not participated in BLAST before, you may apply.
Q: What does “rising high school freshman or sophomore” mean?
A: BLAST takes place during the summer after a student’s 8th or 9th grade year. Students apply during the school year as 8th or 9th graders but are considered “rising” 9th and 10th graders, respectively, during the summer before the next school year begins.
Q: How will I know you received my application?
A: The application system automatically sends an email to confirm each step of the process, so check your email frequently to be sure the student portion of the application, as well as the recommendation form and counselor verification form, are all received on time. You may also log in on the application system anytime to check the status and see what is missing. Your application is not eligible for review until its status in the system is marked “complete.”
Q: What does the “status” of my application mean?
A: Status refers to which step of the application process you’re in. Your BLAST application may show as registered, saved, submitted, or complete. If you submit your application and then log in later to check on its status, you will also see a status for each supporting document (recommendation and counselor verification.) Each term is explained below.
Registered– You have set up a log in and can use the application system, but you have not started your application.
Saved– You have started answering prompts and saved your work, but you have not turned in (submitted) your application. The recommender and counselor have not been notified about the forms they need to fill out. If you log in to check on your application after submitting it and find that one or both supporting materials are saved, it means the recommender (or counselor) has opened the form they received via email and begun to complete it, but they have not turned it in (submitted).
Submitted– You clicked the Submit button to turn in your student portion of the application, and your recommender and counselor have been sent an email with the online forms and instructions for completing them. Your application is not complete until both forms are finished and submitted.
Complete– All required components (student portion of the application, recommendation form, and counselor verification form) have been received through the application system and your application package will be reviewed by the review committee.
Blank– This status only applies to supporting materials from the recommender and counselor. The item will have a blank status if the supporter has not started working on the form yet, which was sent to the email listed in your application (system emails will arrive from notices@spacegrant.net).
Q: I registered but never received an email with a password so I can’t log in. What should I do?
A: Check your spam or junk folder for an email from notices@spacegrant.net (you can enter that email address in the Search area of your email). If you still do not see the registration email, you may have registered with an email that blocks external domains, such as a school email address. Return to the application page and click New User Registration to register with a personal email address.
Q: I finished my application, but I received a notice (or saw a status) that it is not complete. What should I do?
A: First, log in on the application page, check to be sure all prompts are filled in, then click Submit. If the status is “submitted,” then one or both of your support documents may be missing. Gently remind your recommender and counselor to submit the form that was sent via email from notices@spacegrant.net. It was sent immediately when you submitted your application and may have gone to their spam or junk folder.
Q: My recommender (or counselor) said they finished their form, but my application is still not complete. What should I do?
A: Please ask your recommender or counselor to open the form and be sure they have checked the certification box, then ask them to click Submit. A confirmation email will be sent to their email address immediately, so please have them check it to confirm their form was received.
Q: When will I find out if I was selected?
A: It is expected that all applicants will be notified via email by the end of March. Remember to check email frequently for program updates. Updates may come from notices@spacegrant.net, or vsgcblast@odu.edu.
Q: It is the end of March and I have not been notified of my status. What should I do?
A: First, check the status of your application by logging in to the application and making sure the status is “complete.” If it is marked complete, please email vsgcblast@odu.edu to ask about your selection status. If your application is not marked complete (it is submitted or saved), then your application was not eligible for review because one or more items were missing or submitted late.
Q: How are students selected for BLAST?
A: A complete application must be received by the due date and meet all qualification requirements for their application package to be considered by the review committee. Selection for BLAST depends on several factors including verification of school information, quality of the recommendation, and quality of the student’s short answer responses. All qualified applications are reviewed by a panel of educators, and student selections will be made for the number of available slots at each university. Efforts will be made to ensure geographic and demographic diversity of selected participants as well as to reach students with limited access to STEM extracurriculars. Previous BLAST participants are not eligible.
Q: What will students do at BLAST?
A: Activities vary a bit from year to year and by location, but the videos linked from our Home page are great examples from previous years.
Q: Is transportation provided?
A: Participants are expected to secure their own means of transportation to and from the university. While transportation to BLAST is not provided, we may be able to assist students who are unable to secure transportation. Please contact BLAST program staff at vsgcblast@odu.edu if you are selected to attend and have transportation concerns.
Q: What time is check-in and check-out?
A: Students must check-in between 3-4 p.m. on the first day of the session and check-out between 8:30-9:30 a.m. on the last day of the session.
Q: Where will I stay during the BLAST program?
A: Students will be housed at a university dormitory and will share a room with another student. All meals will be provided, and students will be chaperoned by Virginia licensed teachers.
Q: How do I select a roommate?
A: Students will be assigned a roommate by BLAST staff.
Q: What if I have a medical condition that requires me to take medicine during the day?
A: Selected students will receive a Medical Release form for their parent to complete. Let us know about your medication requirement on the form and bring your medication with you during the day. If the medication must be refrigerated, we can make arrangements to access it during the day as long as we know ahead of time. Please note that BLAST staff cannot dispense medication.
Q: What should I do if I am selected but cannot attend?
A: Students who attend BLAST must be able to participate for the duration of the program. A student who is selected and cannot fully participate should send an email to vsgcblast@odu.edu and decline the invitation. If you have accepted an invitation and later find out you are no longer able to attend, please send an email immediately to withdraw so that another student may be selected.