Before students choose a college major, apply for internships or step into a research lab, they make a more personal decision: whether they can see themselves in that future at all.
For many young people, STEM careers remain abstract until college, offering few opportunities to explore the field firsthand before committing to a degree path.
For the past decade, the Biomedical Engineering Opportunities & Leadership Training (BOLT) program has helped change that. Through hands-on learning, research experiences and career exploration, BOLT has introduced students across Colorado to the possibilities of biomedical engineering long before they arrive on a college campus.
Hosted by CU Denver Department of Biomedical Engineering on the Anschutz medical campus, the week long summer program immerses middle and high school students in the field through hands-on projects, laboratory experiences and direct interaction with researchers, clinicians and engineers. The program reflects the College of Engineering, Design and Computing’s commitment to expanding access to STEM careers and cultivating the next generation of engineers and innovators.
Ten years after its launch, BOLT’s impact extends far beyond a single week of activities. Since 2015, the program has served 516 students, helping young people explore careers in engineering, health care, research and technology while building the confidence to pursue those fields.
“We hear from parents every year with updates, and it has been profoundly meaningful to be a part of their journey in STEM,” said Kate Hoch, BOLT director. “Having seen 16- and 17-year-olds who attended BOLT now working in biomedical engineering or pursuing doctoral degrees in biomedical engineering is deeply encouraging.”
Discovering a career they didn’t know existed
For many participants, BOLT provides young prospective STEM students with direct access to scientists, engineers and healthcare professionals in the industry and opportunities to explore the breadth of these fields.
“When we first created BOLT, there wasn’t a clear pipeline for recruiting students into Biomedical Engineering,” Hoch said. “Over the years, I’ve realized these types of pre-collegiate programs are important to the future STEM workforce. Students and families are looking for opportunities to explore STEM careers and begin developing their scientific identity.”
That exposure often broadens students’ understanding of what is possible.
“I think it was very eye opening to [my son] that there are many careers within the medical field that aren’t necessarily being a doctor,” wrote parent Jennifer Dixon.
One of those students is Sydney Medina, who attended BOLT as a teenager and is now pursuing a PhD in Biomedical Engineering at CU Denver and the CU Anschutz Medical Campus. Her research focuses on wound healing and the therapeutic potential of electrical stimulation.
“As a young person who attended a liberal arts high school and had non-STEM parents, being exposed to science and research in this way left a permanent impression,” Medina said. “After getting my bachelor’s degree, I knew that my future needed to include engineering, biology and helping people. I felt called back to the Anschutz Medical Campus. I knew scientific progress was being made here, and I wanted to be part of it.”
Medina’s path reflects one of BOLT’s core goals: helping students connect their interests to educational and career pathways.
Seeing STEM Up Close
Throughout the week, students explore how engineering, biology and medicine intersect to solve healthcare challenges. They work alongside faculty members, graduate students and professionals while gaining access to laboratories, technologies and research environments many students do not encounter until college.
“BOLT was an incredible opportunity for Brynn to explore a field that isn’t typically available through other summer programs,” said parent Kristin Izzi. “She was able to experience things beyond a traditional camp, from seeing the Flight for Life helicopter to speaking with nurses. So many aspects of BOLT influenced her decision to pursue a career in the medical field.”
Current BOLT Camp TA and former camper Andrei Nicoara shares: “BOLT was an amazing experience that helped me understand what it means to work in engineering, biology, chemistry and medicine. Most of the activities were opportunities I never expected to have, much less in high school.”
For many participants, those experiences provide a clearer understanding of STEM careers and the pathways available to pursue them after high school.
“BOLT summer camp definitely encouraged me to think about pursuing a career in STEM,” said BOLT alumni Dhyan Trivedi. “It opened my eyes to new possibilities and gave me the confidence to explore fields I hadn’t considered before.”
A Decade of Outcomes
Over the past decade, former BOLT participants have gone on to universities across the country, pursuing fields including biomedical engineering, medicine, nursing, dentistry, environmental science and other STEM disciplines.
Among those alumni is Breanna Simmons, who credits BOLT with strengthening her interest in healthcare and helping shape her professional journey.
“This experience honestly changed my life,” Simmons said. “It strengthened my love for medicine and helped me realize how much I want to help people. BOLT has made me a better nurse because I understand more about the technological challenges in healthcare and how to think about solving them.”
By connecting classroom concepts to real-world healthcare and engineering challenges, BOLT helps students see themselves as future innovators, researchers, and healthcare professionals.
Even among students who don’t pursue Biomedical Engineering, the influence of this experience is lasting, shaping academic interests and future career trajectories.
“My 20-year-old is headed back to school this semester to study Mechanical Engineering with a focus on Biomedical Engineering,” wrote parent Kristy Truesdale. “He wants to work with prosthetics, specifically. Your camp provided this exposure and the desire to pursue this pathway never left him.”
The connection between summer exploration and professional ambition is increasingly clear: Through early exposure to hands-on engineering experiences and emerging technologies, BOLT helps spark the curiosity, confidence, and ambition that will shape the next generation of engineers and innovators.
“BOLT has undoubtedly changed my life and made me excited for my future,” wrote BOLT Alumni Parker Smith. “Thank you for taking on the challenge of highschoolers and their parents so that students like myself get the opportunity to explore Biomedical Engineering.”
A University for Life
Beyond the projects and laboratory experiences, BOLT helps students develop a sense of belonging in STEM by connecting them with mentors and professionals who can help guide their academic and career journeys.
Through BOLT, the College of Engineering, Design and Computing opens doors to future opportunities to the next generation of engineers long before they submit a college application.
“We hope students leave BOLT with a glimpse of their future selves as STEM professionals,” Hoch said.
Ten years after the program began, that vision is reflected in graduate researchers, healthcare professionals, startup employees, and engineering students across the country. It lives in the more than 516 students who arrived at BOLT curious and left with a clearer sense of where that curiosity could take them.
Yet BOLT’s impact is not measured solely by degrees earned or careers launched. Its greatest success may be found in the life-changing moment a young person recognizes their own potential and begins to see themselves for the first time as an engineer.
College of Engineering, Design and Computing News 
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