“The STEPUP program has proven to be an excellent experience for my son, providing not only a great academic exposure to the world of engineering, but a wonderful initiation into life on his own, with the support of great mentorship and caring staff. Thanks to STEPUP for a terrific start!”
“My oldest son has graduated with a degree in electrical engineering. And received a job offer from Intel. I believe the confidence he felt originated from all the support that came from the people associated with the STEPUP program. I am very grateful that UF has such a wonderful program and hope that it continues for a long time to come.”
“The STEPUP program has been a benefit to my sons in many important ways. My sons have appreciated the smaller setting that introduced them to the University of Florida campus and the opportunity this created for them to form lasting friendships. They have also appreciated the realistic exposure to the faculty, courses, and coursework in the engineering program and the emphasis that was given to the importance of working together as a group to achieve a common goal. I, as a parent, can also see the maturity in their judgment as they become more confident in their decision-making and more self-assured in their abilities. To all involved, I can only say THANK YOU!”
“As a mother of three boys who have attended the STEPUP program, I have nothing but praise for the entire team that makes STEPUP a success. When my first son left the nest to enter such a large school as UF, having the STEPUP program was a great comfort to me.
The program allowed my sons to leave home and still always have a wonderfully supportive network of people available to them. The support network made them feel like a part of something, and the connections made that first summer have stayed with them throughout their college careers.”
“Our daughter was a senior at a small Catholic high school in Miami. The oldest of our three children was facing the college decision. At the time, universities such as Vanderbilt, Duke, and Davidson had offered her substantial scholarship and financial aid packages. We were looking for a university with a small student population and campus life where our daughter would receive attention and be able to get involved. We realized that we did not have the financial means to supplement our daughter’s financial-aid packages and began to consider universities in Florida. We focused right away on the University of Florida. There was no doubt in our minds that UF was academically our best choice. Our greatest fear was its size. Months later, our daughter received an invitation to attend an intense summer program — STEPUP, sponsored by the College of Engineering. ‘Intense’ is a mild word to describe STEPUP. This program was a boot camp that prepared her for challenging academic courses like calculus and chemistry. It gave her the means to direct — in a responsible way — her newly established independence and provided her with a community of friends and tutors.”
“The STEPUP program offered the best transition possible for a high school student going into a rigorous engineering college program. It taught my daughter how to juggle competing demands for her time and still ensure the important things got done — like schoolwork. It helped her ease into being independent by providing some structure and support. Best of all, she met her best friends through the program. As the mother of another teenager getting ready for college, I just wish there were an equivalent program for non-engineering majors.”
“My daughter benefited so much from STEPUP. It allowed her to transition from the high school environment to college life with ease. She was able to meet friends during the summer STEPUP session and also learn the campus and how things work at UF. That gave her the confidence to tackle her first semester. She made lasting friendships and developed a connection with the faculty of the College of Engineering that empowered her to continue in the engineering track. STEPUP was absolutely crucial to her sticking to this highly challenging program of study. She has become a mature, poised, confident, and capable engineering student because of the foundation laid in the STEPUP summer session. Without i,t she may have lost her footing and changed her path. Thank you for this valuable program. I highly recommend it to all who are offered this unique opportunity to excel.”