NCSSM-Morganton students positively impacting Burke County

One of the reasons I decided to attend the N.C. School of Science and Math-Morganton was the real-world experiences that students can gain through attending this great institution.

Education should always be used for the greater good, engaging with the community, and the world, and learning skills in the field is a great start.

NCSSM-Morganton enables its students to impact the world while learning valuable skills through the Research and Innovation Department.

The department aims to “engage each student as a thinker, maker, and doer in an experience that requires the application of knowledge and skills to address challenges in the world beyond the classroom.”

Students can participate in various opportunities, from research in STEM to the Summer Research and Innovation Program (SRIP).

They can also take part in the Mentorship Program, a program I participated in, in which students partner with local nonprofits, agencies, and universities to gain real-world experience with professors, researchers, and leaders in various fields.

At NCSSM-Morganton, students work with organizations such as the Foothills Conservancy, UNC Health Blue Ridge, and many more.

I spoke with Christiane Burkins, the director of Mentorship and Research on the Morganton campus, about both programs.

Burkins joined the department in March of 2024, and I had the privilege of having her as an instructor in a class called “Mentorship: Foundations in Research.” I asked her to describe the Mentorship Program to me.

She said it is “a program that allows our students to dip their toes in the water of a professional experience with community partners that they are considering as a field in college and beyond.”

Some community partners include Western Piedmont Community College (WPCC), Western Carolina University, the Burke County Finance Department, and the Exploring Joara Foundation.

Alongside these partnerships, NCSSM-Morganton engages in an EMT certification mentorship program. In this program, students undergo intensive classes and clinical hours, learning from experts in the field about how to treat patients, respond to emergencies, and more.

Each EMT cohort consists of 10 students, who are recommended by their mentors — the individuals teaching them — through an application process. This is a unique opportunity at NCSSM-Morganton whose distance from universities requires the institution to seek ways for its students to make an impact in the Morganton community.

“It is important for people to see us (NCSSM-Morganton) have a presence here in a way that is impactful in the rural setting of Morganton,” Burkins said. At NCSSM-Durham, students often conduct research at Duke, Chapel Hill, N.C. State, and other universities.

I also spoke with two students who participated in the EMT program: Anil Chintapalli and Lexi Li.

Anil, a student interested in biomedical engineering, chose to participate because he wanted to be immersed in the field and learn more before deciding on a career path. From a very young age, he recounts, he had a deep passion for medicine.

“My mom recorded a video of me as a kid using toys to conduct surgery on her, so I always knew I wanted to enter the medical field.” Anil has a deep passion for helping people, saying he hopes to be able to use his life and vocation to help others around him.

Lexi, a student deeply passionate about pharmaceutical medicine, joined the EMT program to interact with people and develop various medical skills. She told me that through the program, she gained skills to communicate effectively and efficiently with those around her.

Both students also highlighted the support the institution offers through counseling and student support groups as they participated in the rigorous program. Both have received their state certification and hope to use it to positively impact their communities and Morganton.

Anil hopes to partner with another student and work in Burke County on a volunteer squadron over the spring semester. Lexi hopes to get a job over the summer and use her EMT certification to help her local community.

The Mentorship Program allows students to learn from real-world experiences and exposes them to situations they will likely face in their chosen careers. While proving beneficial to the students academically, it also allows students to build relationships with the everyday faces of the people who call Morganton and Burke County home.

The program is fully funded by the institution, ensuring that any student can participate. NCSSM-Morganton students are committed to making an impact in our community, whether that’s through environmental research, health-related experiences, or the EMT program, our students are actively engaged with our community to leave a legacy of service.