Building STEM Identity and Futures Through Experiential Learning: Spring Break Programming with Promega, Featuring CeO Advising Manager and STEM Advisor, Sarina Strand

The CeO Team is proud to spotlight Sarina Strand, one of the dedicated professionals
helping bring our “Alternative Spring Break in the Lab” experience to life. In partnership with Promega Corporation and the BioPharmaceutical Technology Center Institute (BTCI), this fully funded program offers scholars a unique opportunity to step into a real-world laboratory setting during spring break.

Sarina plays a key role in guiding students through hands-on lab experiences while creating an environment that is both welcoming and engaging. Her approach emphasizes curiosity, confidence-building, and practical skill development—ensuring that students of all majors, class years, and experience levels feel encouraged to participate and explore.

For first- and second-year scholars, this experience serves as an important entry point into STEM spaces that can often feel out of reach. By introducing foundational lab skills and creating direct connections with professionals, Sarina helps students begin shaping their STEM identity early by building confidence, reducing uncertainty, and reinforcing belonging in these environments. It is a chance to explore research without pressure, ask questions freely, and begin imagining new academic and career possibilities.

For third-year students and beyond, the program offers a more focused opportunity to refine career direction and expand professional networks. Scholars nearing graduation can engage more deeply with industry professionals, gain insight into day-to-day work in biopharmaceutical research and development, and strengthen their résumés with a highly respected experience. Under Sarina’s guidance, students can translate their academic knowledge into practical applications while making connections that can support post-graduate plans.

Beyond skill-building, this program represents a barrier-breaking opportunity. By removing financial costs and providing transportation and meals, the experience ensures that access—not background—determines participation. In doing so, it opens pathways for scholars to see themselves in STEM careers, build social capital, and more confidently project themselves into futures that may once have felt out of reach.

The “Alternative Spring Break in the Lab” program will take place in late March to early April during UW–Madison spring break at the Promega BTCI campus in Madison, WI. The commitment shown by scholars who choose to spend their break engaging in this biotechnology lab experience is equally commendable.

Sarina is also a recipient of the Office of Advising and Career Services Collaborative Impact Award—a testament to her unwavering support for University of Wisconsin–Madison scholars and staff, and her continued commitment to advancing students’ career projection and social mobility.