A motivational presentation from a charismatic, “seven-point-two-five fingered” rocket scientist proved to be the best way to inspire Daytona State College students to aim high.
Kantis Simmons may have graduated from Georgia Tech and worked with NASA, but from what the students of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Community or STEM Scholars Program could see, he is a success story. He is the epitome of what perseverance in the face of imbalanced odds can accomplish.
“For years, I felt like my fingers would stop me from being great,” roared Simmons during his appearance, waving his hand through the air.
Born missing two and a half fingers on his left hand, Simmons grew up with belabored whispers and stares at his expense. Referring to his disability as his “mess,” Simmons encouraged people to face, accept and overcome their own specific mess, whether it is rent or homework. He told the students in the audience that going to school is their full- time job and that “certificates, diplomas and degrees are keys! They open the doors in life.”
Giving ground work to students to achieve their degrees, says STEM coordinator, Karen Peterson, is the purpose of the STEM Community Scholars Program, which organized the all-day symposium at Bergengren Hall on Nov. 11.
The symposium was free and open to the public and just after Simmons’ hour-long performance, students were searching the room for more information on DSC’s STEM program and how they could get in on it.
“Do you work with medical degrees?” one student sheepishly asked Peterson.
They do in fact. And even before Simmons’ stimulating repertoire of inspiration, Peterson says that the STEM program at Daytona State was getting too big for the math department conference room, where they would hold meetings. The program, created in July of 2010, has grown from six to 45 students, a number that she is sure will only go up from there.
It was a stroke of luck, says Peterson, that led her to meet an acquaintance of Simmons, who himself is a STEM recipient from the National Science Foundation. The STEM Education Coalition works to support STEM programs for teachers and students at the U.S. Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, and any other agencies that offer STEM related studies — which DSC has in abundance.
“Typically we find speakers through conferences and networking with other STEM programs,” Peterson said, “the Science Talent Expansion Program is a national effort.”
When Simmons wrapped up his zealous “7.25 Presentation,” which he considers a franchise equivalent to Michael Jordan, STEM students gathered around a cardboard box for their provided copy of his book, “Playing You’re A Game,” and then clung to him for pictures and autographs.
The symposium was a benchmark for win-win scenarios: Simmons gave out books and autographs. STEM students became inspired and the STEM Community Scholars Program will no doubt continue to flourish at DSC.