Student Pathways to Access, Readiness, and Knowledge (SPARK)
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| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2027-01-10 | - |
Program Overview
Student Pathways to Access, Readiness, and Knowledge (SPARK)
Program Overview
The Student Pathways to Access, Readiness, and Knowledge (SPARK) program is an immersive, Saturday-based engineering exploration program developed and directed by FIU's Center for Development, Support, and Success in Engineering and Computing (CDSSEC) at Florida International University's (FIU) College of Engineering and Computing (CEC). The program introduces participants to hands-on experiences in VEX robotics, coding, engineering fundamentals, and physics.
Program Structure
The program runs for 14 weeks during both the fall and spring semesters, delivering structured, age-appropriate sessions every Saturday. Each session is led by experienced facilitators and supported by FIU student mentors who help guide students through interactive engineering challenges, experimentation, and problem-solving activities. The projects are inspired by the various engineering fields offered by CEC, including but not limited to:
- Mechanical engineering
- Civil engineering
- Environmental engineering
- Computer science
Program Tracks
The program is intentionally designed to ignite curiosity, inspire creativity, and build confidence—empowering students to explore science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) pathways early in their academic journey. To ensure a personalized community of practice environment, SPARK offers two focused tracks with a maximum of 20 students per group:
- SPARK Cubs for grades 3–5
- SPARK Junior Panthers for grades 6–8
Program Schedule
The spring 2026 hours are 9am-12pm on scheduled Saturdays. The program schedule for Spring 2026 includes:
- January 10, 2026
- January 17, 2026
- January 24, 2026
- January 31, 2026
- February 7, 2026
- February 14, 2026
- February 21, 2026
- March 7, 2026
- March 14, 2026
- March 21, 2026
- April 4, 2026
- April 11, 2026
- April 18, 2026
- April 25, 2026
Program Fees
The registration fee is $398 per semester, with an option for a two-part payment plan. If the payment plan is selected, payment 1 is due January 10th, and payment 2 is due March 7th.