The STEM Center works to develop programs, special events, and partnerships for and with our local community. The design of these opportunities is informed by the interests of our faculty and students, current research-informed recommendations on best practices in informal STEM education, and recognized opportunity gaps in our region. We aim for these opportunities to be sustainable and to benefit both our K-12 constituents and contributing JMU community members.

Boys & Girls Club of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County Partnership
Fall 2025 kicks off the 6th year of our partnership with BGCHR! Through this partnership, JMU STEM Corps members engage 90 young children in 10 weeks of STEM education aimed at enriching their school science and math learning. We aim to make this a mutually beneficial and sustainable partnership by working closely with BGCHR executive director, Sandra Quigg, and her talented staff to ensure aligned goals and practices, and by creating a learning facilitation model that offers our students opportunities to practice and strengthen professional competencies over multiple years through education outreach. 

JMU Division of Access and Enrollment 
We partner with coordinators and directors of programs focused on providing middle and high schools students a variety of academic and student life experiences on JMU's campus. Our professors develop and lead STEM workshops for students from across VA through partnership with Middle School Visit Program, Professor In Residence; Valley Scholars; and Education Talent Search.

The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind
In this partnership, JMU STEM professors work with VSDB’s Science teachers and Orientation & Mobility instructors to develop enriching real-world STEM experiences for middle and high school students with low-vision and blindness. VSDB students work side-by-side with JMU students to address a problem using STEM practices that incorporate auditory or tactile methods of data collection and analysis. 

JMU Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services
In addition to serving on the IIHHS Innovation Collaborative, we are partnering with one of their flagship programs, The Gus Bus, to host a Fall 2025 event promoting Family STEM Engagement.

Annual Brain Bee
For students ages 13-19. This is a day of friendly competition, hands-on experiences in our neuroscience labs with faculty and students, and connecting with peers from across the commonwealth with similar interests. The winner competes in the National Brain Bee in April. There is no cost. This event is held on a Saturday from ~9-2 in early-mid February.

Anatomy Expo
This event for local high school students is held in conjunction with the JMU Anato-Bee, a run-off competition for the Regional Anato-Bee. The event starts with a keynote speaker and ends with the Anato-Bee (optional). In between, students engage in hands-on learning and E-Hall lunch with JMU Anatomy professors and students. This event is typically held on a Saturday in late January or February in alignment with the National Anato-Bee schedule. No Fee.