PHILADELPHIA—As part of its ongoing efforts to advance digital equality and STEAM education, Comcast NBCUniversal has launched the “Jurassic World Rule Your Future STEAM Initiative,” a new program aimed at strengthening STEAM preparation and digital skills among low-income and first generation-to-college students.
Comcast plans to invest $1.5 million in cash and in-kind from Comcast, Universal Pictures, and Universal Parks & Resorts in the effort, which is part of the company’s Project UP initiative to advance digital equity.
For the effort, Comcast is working with the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE), a not-for-profit organization based in Washington, DC that promotes equity in college access and success through the Federal TRIO Programs (TRIO).
COE will be offering three 10-hour STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) courses designed by educational professionals with input from key experts from the new Jurassic World Dominion film.
The content draws on key themes from the Jurassic World franchise, including paleontology, animatronics, and DNA, and offers students an exciting, hands-on experience to develop the skills necessary to pursue non-traditional STEAM careers.
Each of the three units opens with a video introduction from Jurassic World Dominion talent, including: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, and DeWanda Wise. The three courses currently being offered at 35 TRIO programs across the country include:
- Paleontology: STEAM in Conversation with Jurassic World
- Robotics and Animatronics: STEAM in Conversation with Jurassic World
- Genetics and DNA: STEAM in Conversation with Jurassic World
“This is an exciting collaboration intended to help inspire young people to pursue STEAM-related careers,” said Broderick Johnson, executive vice president, digital equity and executive vice president, public policy, at Comcast Corporation. “We’re giving these amazing TRIO students the opportunity to explore subject matter they may not have been exposed to before. It’s a powerful example for how Comcast NBCUniversal is advancing digital equity through Project UP, which is designed to help more people have equal access to the opportunities, education, and resources they need to succeed in a digital world.”
The Jurassic World Rule Your Future STEAM Initiative will roll out in cities throughout the United States.
In addition to the classroom experience, 350 TRIO students were given an all-expense-paid trip to attend the “Jurassic World Rule Your Future STEAM Initiative Symposium” at Universal Studios Hollywood from June 3 – June 5, 2022.
There, they participated in interactive STEAM demonstrations, attended a college and career fair, saw an early screening of the new film, Jurassic World Dominion, experienced Universal Studios Hollywood, heard from the filmmakers and stars of the movie in a panel discussion and received a free laptop computer from Comcast’s Internet Essentials program.
Based on feedback from an initial pilot and symposium, the STEAM initiative will be expanded to provide free access to the curriculum at additional TRIO programs, Internet Essentials partners, and Comcast Lift Zone locations, with opportunities for additional activations in the future.
Comcast also provided activity boxes to 1,000 Lift Zone nonprofit community centers across the country to inspire younger students. In addition to other items, the boxes included a Jurassic World Rule Your Future STEAM Initiative Activity Book, custom created for Lift Zone partners, which will also be available for free, via digital download, to all Internet Essentials partners.
More information on Project UP and efforts to address digital inequities is available at https://corporate.comcast.com/impact/project-up.
