Fifty middle school students from the Poughkeepsie City School District participated in hands-on science and math workshops at Marist University’s Hancock Center on March 17. The event, called Marist Mind Meld, was organized by the university’s School of Computer Science and Mathematics in partnership with the Marist Liberty Partnerships Program (LPP) and the local school district.
The program aimed to help students see real-world applications for their classroom learning. Dr. Elizabeth Reid, Associate Professor of Mathematics, said, “These workshops help students understand the question of ‘why do I need to know this stuff I’m learning at school?’” She led a session where students built bridges out of materials and tested their strength. “We put together fun, hands-on activities to show them why what they’re learning actually matters,” Reid said.
Students rotated through three different sessions: building bridges, working with robots in “Rockin’ Robotics,” and exploring basic encryption techniques in “Cracking Codes.” Each workshop was led by faculty members and supported by student volunteers from Marist. Jenna Iervolino said, “We were once there. Seeing the kids work through all the problem-solving is exciting — anything hands-on always makes the biggest impression.” Lily Nichols added, “It’s just really amazing to see people come together and having fun with math.” Both are members of Marist’s Math Club and Association for Women in Mathematics.
Melissa Chodziutko led the Cracking Codes workshop that introduced encryption concepts using decoder tools. “When I was their age, I went to college programs like this, and it really got me thinking about what I wanted to study,” Chodziutko said. Wael Shahadeh ’27 noted that teaching others also helped him deepen his own understanding: “Being able to teach something really shows that you already know it.”
Dr. Ron Buckmire, Dean of the School of Computer Science and Mathematics at Marist University, said collaboration with community organizations is a priority: “One of my priorities as Dean is expanding the connections the school has with the community… Collaborating with Liberty Partnerships and the Poughkeepsie School District is exactly the kind of thing we want to do more of moving forward.” LPP has operated at Marist since 1990 as a dropout-prevention program funded by New York State Education Department.
Crystal Parkhurst has directed LPP for six years after eleven years working there; she described events like Mind Meld as essential for student success: “To do all the planning behind-the-scenes and then see it actually come to fruition — that’s awesome… These kids deserve these opportunities, and we’re proud to help make them happen.” Parkhurst added that watching students progress from fifth grade through high school graduation fulfills LPP’s mission: “Graduation is always my favorite time of year — once we see them cross the stage, we know we’ve fulfilled our goal.”
