FLORENCE, Ala. (WHNT) – The University of North Alabama (UNA) and Northwest-Shoals Community College (NWSCC) collaborated to invite 14 students to a three-day STEM camp.

Each student was selected as a part of the NWSCC Talent Search program. All are promising students who would be first-generation college graduates.

Eva Garrison, a student from Hatton High School, told News 19 that the camp has given her much more confidence in her ability to succeed in college.

“I always like learning, and even though I’m most likely not going into a STEM-related course in college, I really enjoyed my time here,” Garrison said. “It’s just been so much fun.”

Dr. Jeffrey Bibbee from the UNA College of Art, Sciences and Engineering told News 19 that this program is supposed to give high school students a glimpse into what college will be like.

“Being on our campus, being with our faculty, being in our classrooms and laboratories just makes this a whole lot less scary,” Bibbee said. “It gives them an opportunity to ask questions and to feel like they’re empowered to make a decision about what the next part of their academic journey is going to look like.”