Summer Bridge Program Preparing Students for College
NOVA’s Summer Bridge Program is underway, giving high school seniors hands-on tech experience and industry site visits to explore career paths in Engineering Technology (ET), Data Center Operations (DCO), Information Technology (IT), and Computer Science (CS).
This free program runs from late June through mid-August. Students attend sessions at the NOVA campus closest to them—Annandale, Loudoun, or Woodbridge.
NOVA’s IT/CS track, led by IET Project Manager Dr. Chris Russell, enrolled 64 students. Dr. Russell is providing most of the instruction, with support from Professors Kwabena Konadu and Shahpar Islam.
Meanwhile, 54 students joined the ET/DCO track, led by seven educators who received training last summer on the LJ Create trainers and are now serving as instructors. Each week, two of them teach lessons on pneumatics and programmable logic controllers.
The instructors are Kyle Godfrey and Gerson Pereira from Arlington Public Schools; Chris White, Jane Iyengar, and Adrian Jansen from Fairfax County Public Schools; Michael Goddard from Loudoun County Public Schools; and Lisbeth Valladares from Manassas Park City Schools.
During a one-day orientation, students reviewed program requirements and NOVA degree pathways, confirmed session choices, and toured the campus while learning
Students can also earn college credit or credit for prior learning by enrolling in free asynchronous courses such as OSHA-10 and the Google IT Support Certificate.about student life.
Throughout the summer, sessions feature hands-on learning in engineering, engineering technology, IT, and CS. Examples include cybersecurity labs, computer assembly, and pneumatic simulator exercises.
Students are also visiting NOVA’s academic and industry partners. Highlights include George Mason University, Capital One, Micron Technology, and multiple data centers: CoreSite, Digital Realty, Iron Mountain, STACK Infrastructure, and QTS.
The final session in mid-August will cover NOVA pathways and outline next steps. Students who complete the program are eligible for a $200 stipend.
Looking ahead:
Applications for NOVA’s Summer 2026 Bridge Program open in January. Sign up for our newsletter for updates at https://nova-community-college.read.axioshq.com/signup/the-interface