Event Horizon SpaceWorx Partners with SUU for Free STEM Youth Programming
Published: November 03, 2026 |
Author: Gabrielle Costello |
Read Time: 3 minutes
Event Horizon SpaceWorx has committed to a three-year naming sponsorship of SUU PREP, a program dedicated to maintaining access to high-quality STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) learning for local middle schoolers at no cost to their families. Thanks to this new partnership, SUU PREP will now be named SUU PREP in partnership with Event Horizon Spaceworx and will continue to build upon the program's great success in STEM.
Led by CEO and SUU alumnus Brian McCann, Event Horizon SpaceWorx is a Southern Utah company that owns and operates a growing portfolio of aerospace, investment, and deep-tech businesses. Beyond keeping SUU PREP cost-free, the company's investment will expand hands-on learning opportunities, fund immersive field trips, provide new classroom technology, and connect students directly with aerospace professionals.
"Event Horizon SpaceWorx is excited to partner with SUU and the rest of our amazing schools and universities to further STEM-oriented interests, education and careers in Southern Utah," said CEO Brian McCann. "We've come a long way but still have much to do. It's programs like this that help foster a lifelong love and appreciation for science and technology in our youth and communities. We are grateful to SUU and the amazing staff for this incredible opportunity."
Hosted by the SUU STEM Center for Teaching and Learning, SUU PREP is an intensive, fast-paced academic adventure designed for motivated students who enjoy science, technology, engineering, and math. The three-summer program is a fun and challenging way for middle schoolers to dive deep into hands-on coursework:
Year 1 (After 6th Grade): Focuses on engineering design, logic, and Problem Solving 1.
Year 2 (After 7th Grade): Highlights physics, algebraic structures, and Problem Solving 2.
Year 3 (After 8th Grade): Delves into computer science, cryptography, and statistics and probability.
Along with rigorous coursework, participants take part in collaborative activities, such as the program's popular annual cardboard boat race, which build problem-solving skills, creativity, and confidence.
"As technical fields become an increasingly vital segment of the workforce, we need more young people with the interest and aptitude to fill these critical jobs," said Dr. Bill Heyborne, Dean of the Walter Maxwell Gibson College of STEM at SUU. "SUU PREP is designed to do just that - sparking curiosity in students early on so they consider entering technical fields down the road. We are deeply grateful for an extraordinary industry partner like Event Horizon SpaceWorx to join us in that pursuit."
Originally created in Texas in the 1970s, the "PREP model" has grown nationwide, with regional sites collaborating under the Intermountain PREP network. SUU PREP has served middle schoolers in Southern Utah for nearly 10 years, offering a supportive space where bright young minds can build real-world skills and envision future careers.
The next session of SUU PREP in partnership with Event Horizon Spaceworx will run from June 7 to July 1, 2027. Applications for the summer 2027 cohort open on Dec. 10, 2026, and close on Jan. 25, 2027. If openings remain, a second application window will run from Feb. 10 through March 25, 2027. Find more information here.
For families seeking additional hands-on learning opportunities throughout the year, the SUU STEM Center also offers youth camps for ages 6-18 through the SUU BZI Youth Engineering Academy. Offerings and registration for 2027 youth camps will open in January.
To learn more about SUU PREP and explore youth STEM opportunities at SUU, visit suu.edu/stem.
Tags:
College of STEM
Community
STEM Center
Contact Information
SUU Marketing & Communications
435-586-5400
kimberlysawyer@suu.edu
