Halfway Through Inspire 2026: Students Explore New Skills, Interests, and Learning
From solving mock crimes and launching startup companies to exploring neuroscience, healthcare, and engineering, Inspire 2026 students have spent the first half of their summer stepping outside the traditional classroom and into hands-on learning experiences.
Now at the program’s halfway point, hundreds of high school students have explored new academic interests, connected with expert faculty, and experienced what learning at a world-class university is all about. Through collaborative projects, interactive activities, and real-world applications, students have challenged themselves, discovered new passions, and gained valuable insight into future college majors and careers.
This summer has also marked the debut of several brand-new Inspire courses, expanding opportunities for students to explore subjects ranging from healthcare and neuroscience to engineering, business, construction, and digital marketing.
Here’s a look back at some of the experiences students have had during the first half of Inspire 2026.
Exploring New Skills and Interests Across Ten Courses
Forensic Science
Students stepped into the role of crime scene investigators as they examined evidence, analyzed fingerprints, and worked through mock investigations. Through hands-on labs and forensic techniques, they discovered how science is used to solve real-world mysteries.
From Curiosity to Care: Inside Nursing and Healthcare Professions
Students explored the many careers that make up today’s healthcare system while learning foundational nursing skills and participating in hands-on simulations. Guided by faculty from UVA and Inova, they gained a deeper understanding of patient care and the many pathways available within healthcare.
Science of the Mind: From Brain Cells to Brainwaves
Students explored the fascinating world of neuroscience by investigating how the brain functions, from individual brain cells to complex human behaviors. Through interactive lessons, brain dissections, and EEG recordings, they experienced what it’s like to think and work like neuroscientists while discovering how brain structure influences the way we think, learn, and interact with the world.
Professional Writing for High School and Beyond
Students developed practical communication skills they’ll use throughout high school, college, and their future careers. Through interactive workshops and writing exercises, they learned how to craft resumes, cover letters, professional emails, personal statements, and other real-world documents while receiving individualized feedback from their instructor. By the end of the week, each student had created a portfolio of writing samples they can continue building long after Inspire.
Creative Writing: Cultivating Craft through Daily Practice
Aspiring writers strengthened their skills through daily writing exercises, workshops, and one-on-one feedback with their instructor. Along the way, they experimented with new storytelling techniques, refined their work through revision, and developed greater confidence in their creative voices.
Exploring the Built Environment — Real Estate, Design, and Construction
Students discovered how ideas become reality by exploring every stage of the building process, from design and engineering to construction and real estate development. Working in teams, they planned their own building projects while learning from industry professionals about the careers that shape the built environment.
Teamwork and Leadership in Engineering
Engineering is about more than technical skills—it’s also about working effectively with others. Throughout the week, students collaborated on accessibility-focused engineering challenges, applying the engineering design process while developing the leadership and teamwork skills essential to solving real-world problems.
Engineering for Human Health: Biomedical Engineering
Students explored the intersection of engineering, biology, and medicine as they tackled real-world healthcare challenges through biomedical engineering. Using coding, research, and computational modeling, they worked collaboratively to design potential solutions for complex diseases while learning how engineers help shape the future of medicine.
McIntire Business Institute
Students transformed innovative ideas into startup companies while learning the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, marketing, finance, and business strategy. Working in teams, they developed business concepts, refined their ideas, and pitched their ventures, gaining firsthand experience in what it takes to bring a company from concept to reality.
Digital Marketing
Students put their creativity into action by forming Inspira, a student-run marketing agency that partnered with businesses created by students in the McIntire Business Institute. Acting as marketing consultants, they developed branding, promotional materials, and marketing campaigns while gaining valuable real-world experience through cross-class collaboration.
What Students Are Saying
Throughout the summer, students have shared how Inspire has helped them discover new interests, build confidence, and explore possible career paths.
“I learned about so many different areas of forensic science through both the lectures and the hands-on activities. One of my favorite experiences was participating in the mock crime scene because it gave me a real sense of what working in the field could be like. Before this class, I didn’t realize how many different branches there were, like crime scene investigation, lab work, DNA analysis, and blood spatter, and it’s helped me narrow down what I want to do in the future.” – Forensic Science student
“I learned the basics of coding using NetLogo, and I also learned about the biological mechanics of cancer, which was really interesting to me. I always thought combining biology, chemistry, and engineering would be confusing, but the professors did a great job explaining the engineering process and guiding us through each step.” – Biomedical Engineering student
“My favorite part of the program has been working on a project for a brand that I love and am passionate about. I was able to create mock ads, social media posts, and landing pages, and using a brand I care about made the experience both enjoyable and a great way to learn.” – Digital Marketing student
A Faculty Perspective
One of the goals of Inspire is to help students see what their future could look like by connecting classroom learning with real-world careers.
“We wanted students to gain a more personal understanding of nursing while also discovering healthcare careers they may have never heard of before. Our goal is to connect what they’re learning in the classroom with careers they could be entering just a few years from now.”
– From Curiosity to Care: Inside Nursing and Healthcare Professions Faculty Member
Looking Ahead
Although we’ve already seen students solve mock crimes, explore the human brain, strengthen their writing, launch startup companies, create marketing campaigns, and discover careers in healthcare and engineering, the summer is far from over.
Over the next few weeks, Inspire will welcome new students and continue offering immersive learning experiences designed to spark curiosity, encourage exploration, and inspire the next generation of leaders, innovators, and creators.
We can’t wait to see what the second half of Inspire 2026 has in store.