A Publication for Alumnae Parents and Friends Winter 2016

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SJA Community
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St. Joseph’s Academy hosted a series of
partnership opportunities this fall, inviting
local business leaders, university administrators
and government officials to tour the new
Andrea Clesi McMakin ’74 STEM Lab. Guests
enjoyed interacting with students, who shared
their ongoing projects in the areas of science,
technology, engineering and mathematics.
Business, Education, Governmental Leaders Visit STEM Lab
Following their visit to the STEM Lab, guests
enjoyed lunch and conversation with SJA’s
administrators and several students.
the future,” he said. “I was thoroughly pleased
with visualizing how the young ladies at St.
Joseph’s Academy will lead the pathways and
pave the future by leading this world into new
levels of knowledge via the STEM program.
I look forward to the visit in the future to St.
Joseph’s Academy Innovation and Design Lab.”
Amy Perrin, a 2009 Academy graduate, is SJA’s
director of Innovation and Design. She explained
the Innovation and Design Lab, which will
open at SJA in August of 2016. The new lab will
build on the success of the STEM Lab and offer
cutting-edge, project-based learning to equip
young women for success in college and the
21st-century workplace. The Innovation and
Design model helps students develop criticalthinking,
collaboration, creating and problemsolving
skills. In the lab, they will design projects
to solve real-world problems and impact
their communities, taking learning beyond
classroom walls.
Dr. Cynthia Peterson, dean of the LSU College of Science, visited with
SJA students to learn more about their projects in the school’s STEM
Lab. Co-director of Technology John Richardson looks on.
Dr. Cynthia Peterson, dean of LSU’s College
of Science, said she was highly impressed with
the interdisciplinary nature of the work being
done in the STEM Lab. “It’s how we work in the
real world,” she said. “There are no boundaries
around disciplines.”
Dr. Robert Rene, director of Admissions at
Southern University, said he enjoyed his visit and
learning about SJA’s focus on STEM disciplines.
“I was very impressed with the young ladies’
projects but not surprised with the level of
educational intuitiveness at St. Joseph’s Academy
in preparing young women for the workplace of
Baton Rouge Councilwoman Tara Wicker shares a story with students
demonstrating repair of their tablet computers.
Winter 2016 . 15