College of Medicine and Reading Science Center Inspire Future STEM Leaders in West Reading
January 22, 2026
When the College of Medicine opened its West Reading Campus in 2021, one of its first community partnerships started only a few blocks away at the Reading Science Center, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing engaging and accessible STEM learning to local youth. The Reading Science Center became one of the campus's first Health Advocacy Practicum (HAP) sites, hosting a first-year medical student from the inaugural class. Since then, the partnership has fostered numerous volunteer opportunities in the West Reading area. More than 200 faculty members and students have volunteered at outreach and science events over the years, reaching more than 2,000 residents across Berks County and engaging learners of all ages.
For faculty advisor Dana Peterson, PhD, professor in the Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, the collaboration is impactful. “It’s incredibly fulfilling to help train the next generation of medical professionals while also supporting the community that surrounds our campus,” she said. “We hope that by sharing our enthusiasm, we can encourage healthier lifestyle choices and build lasting relationships between the community and health care professionals.”
The collaboration includes hands-on STEM activities and popular events like Celebrate Science Day, held for the first time at the West Reading Campus in 2024, and drawing over 800 participants. Volunteers travel to various locations in the West Reading area and host Reading Science Center programs right on campus.
The Reading Science Center’s Sisters in STEM program has also become a central focus of the partnership. Twice a year, Sisters in STEM participants visit the West Reading Campus for anatomy-themed activities, complete with interactive learning stations run by Drexel medical students.
Peterson describes these experiences as energizing for faculty members and students alike. “These events remind us why we love teaching and studying the anatomical sciences,” she said. “It’s humbling and incredibly rewarding to see young learners get excited about science, and to know we played a small role in sparking that curiosity.”
Alexis Price-Moyer, MD ’26, a member of the inaugural West Reading class and a Reading native, volunteered with Sisters in STEM during her first year because she could relate to the students she hoped to mentor. “I saw myself in the little girls the program was intended for — kids that were rich in scientific curiosity and excited to learn,” she said.
As an ambassador, Price-Moyer assisted instructors with experiments, joined field trips and served as a role model for children interested in STEM and medicine. Her involvement in the partnership also sparked the idea of bringing Sisters in STEM students directly to campus for an anatomy lesson. This field trip has since evolved into a community event that welcomes students from multiple school districts. “This is something I’m most proud of in my medical school career,” Price-Moyer said. “Now, not only do the girls from the Sisters in STEM program benefit, but children of all ages from all over the local area across several school districts can come learn and have fun.”
Another student helping to shape the partnership is Semilayo Agbejule, MD ’28. Agbejule selected the Reading Science Center as her Health Advocacy Practicum site because of her passion for working with children and her commitment to serving underrepresented communities. She volunteered weekly with Sisters in STEM and valued the chance to mentor girls developing an early interest in science.
Agbejule’s role expanded when she helped lead a new project designing a microscope-based curriculum for Science Saturdays and field trips. Working with a team of first-year students, she helped create lessons that aligned with Next Generation Science Standards, including extracting DNA from fruit.
As the lead student coordinator for the practicum, she oversaw workflow, milestone planning and the group’s presentation at Discovery Day. “Hands-on activities transform abstract concepts into tangible, meaningful experiences,” she said. “When children are able to manipulate materials themselves, they’re more likely to ask ‘why?’ and ‘what if?’ — questions that form the foundation of scientific thinking.”
Together, the West Reading Campus and the Reading Science Center demonstrate how sustained academic–community partnerships can advance STEM education, broaden access to experiential learning, and cultivate the next generation of scientists and health professionals. Through outreach and mentorship, these initiatives also strengthen the professional formation of the College of Medicine’s medical students.
