Rutherford, NJ– Felician University successfully hosted its STEM Summer Pipeline program for the second consecutive year. Through a generous grant from Bristol Myers Squibb, this two-week program, held July 6th-16th, brought together Felician’s STEM faculty, Johnson & Johnson, Touro Graduate and Professional Programs, and the Boys and Girls Club of Lodi to immerse high school sophomores and juniors in advanced STEM and laboratory science.

Following the curriculum of Introduction to Laboratory Science, a course taught at Felician that combines the foundations of biology, microbiology, chemistry, physics, and anatomy & physiology, the program focused on providing a supplementary experience that built on students’ prior science knowledge by introducing fundamental laboratory procedures and scientific methods used in professional STEM industries.

The cohort of 13 students participated in a series of lectures, labs, and demonstrations that reaffirmed their decision to pursue STEM as a career and exposed them to the wide array of fieldwork and opportunities to meaningfully contribute to clinical research, technological advancements, and civil development. Students also traveled to an off-campus event, where they gained valuable perspective on STEM careers during a panel discussion and a tour of Bristol Myers Squibb’s Princeton, NJ, location. The panel featured:

• Cynthia Inzano, Principal Scientist
• Monica Nelson, Senior Director – Research Strategy and Operations
• John Tokarski, Senior Principal Scientist – CADD
• Shilpaa Mukundan, Senior Scientist – TDS-LDO-Pharmacological Sciences and Screening Technology
• Aaron Balog, Senior Scientific Director – Global Discovery Chemistry
• Jennifer Price, Senior Principal Scientist – PCO Discovery Toxicology

The program made a tangible and positive impact on each student’s educational journey, not only by earning college credits in recognition of their efforts but also by offering a positive experience that gave them newfound confidence they could apply to their current science classes at school. Students cited gratitude for accommodations tailored to their learning preferences and for establishing connections with graduate-level health professionals through the program’s new partnership with Touro Graduate and Professional Programs.

“The most valuable thing I learned during this program was that what you do now with your life, your future self will be grateful for it,” said an anonymous student.

The STEM Summer Pipeline Program was directed and facilitated by:

• Tara Kent, PhD, Dean of Arts and Sciences
• Gaby Fahmy, Associate Dean for Natural Sciences and Mathematics
• Samira Ziaei, Associate Professor of Natural Sciences
• Robert Rogers, Associate Professor of Biology
• Balwant Chohan, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
• Robert Keesey, Associate Professor of Chemistry

“Summer programs such as this help to instill a sense of confidence and enthusiasm among high school students to pursue advanced STEM education and careers in STEM,” said Dr. Kent. “Research indicates that early pipelines can have a positive impact on youth preparation for entry into the STEM fields, and this is particularly the case for students from underrepresented groups. The addition of anatomy and physiology, and the growth of our industry partnerships this year, reflect our continued commitment to deepening this experience for our students.”

The Summer STEM program is one of many existing and new programs that Felician is committed to offering students to spark exploration and experience while building pipelines that will fuel future industry growth. 

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About Felician University

Felician University is committed to supporting academic success at any stage of life. With over 2,800 undergraduate, graduate, and adult education students enrolled across the schools of Arts & Sciences, Business & Information Sciences, Nursing, and Education, Felician provides diverse learning experiences that equip all students with the skills to meet the demands of today’s society. Felician University was recognized in Newsweek’s America’s Best Colleges for Women 2026, earning distinction as the No. 1 college for women in New Jersey. Additionally, Felician has been named a best value school by payscale.com and Money magazine, and as one of the best college locations in NJ (#4) by niche.com. Our Master of Science in Nursing program is ranked one of the best online graduate nursing programs in the nation by U.S. News and the Princeton Review. We are proud to be designated as a Military Friendly School (Gold Status) for the fifteenth year, a testament to our dedicated support of Veteran students. Our diversity as an HSI (Hispanic Serving Institution) and MSI (Minority Serving Institution), with underrepresented students comprising more than half of the student population, reflects our inclusive and supportive environment and earned us a spot on Washington Monthly’s Top 100 HSI list (#30). With campuses in Rutherford and Lodi, New Jersey, our Franciscan values of respect for human dignity, compassion, transformation, solidarity with people in need, justice and peace are woven into the very foundation and development of tomorrow’s leaders. Felician University is sponsored by Felician Sisters International. For more information, please visit https://felician.edu/