PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Comcast NBCUniversal today announced the launch of the “Jurassic World Rule Your Future STEAM Initiative,” a new program aimed at strengthening STEAM preparation and digital skills among low-income and first generation-to-college students. Backed by a $1.5 million investment in cash and in-kind from Comcast, Universal Pictures, and Universal Parks & Resorts, this cross-company initiative leverages the collective power of Comcast NBCUniversal’s family of brands to help ensure more young people have access to the resources and opportunities they need to succeed in today’s digital world. The initiative is a part of Project UP, Comcast’s comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity and help build a future of unlimited possibilities.
Working with the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE), a not-for-profit organization based in Washington, DC that promotes equity in college access and success through the Federal TRIO Programs (TRIO), three 10-hour STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) courses were designed by educational professionals with input from key experts from the new Jurassic World Dominion film, which arrives in theaters June 10. The content draws on key themes from the Jurassic World franchise, including paleontology, animatronics, and DNA, and offers students an exciting, hands-on experience to develop the skills necessary to pursue non-traditional STEAM careers. Each of the three units opens with a video introduction from Jurassic World Dominion talent, including: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, and DeWanda Wise. The three courses currently being offered at 35 TRIO programs across the country include:
- Paleontology: STEAM in Conversation with Jurassic World
- Robotics and Animatronics: STEAM in Conversation with Jurassic World
- Genetics and DNA: STEAM in Conversation with Jurassic World
“This is an exciting collaboration intended to help inspire young people to pursue STEAM-related careers,” said Broderick Johnson, Executive Vice President, Digital Equity and Executive Vice President, Public Policy, at Comcast Corporation. “We’re giving these amazing TRIO students the opportunity to explore subject matter they may not have been exposed to before. It’s a powerful example for how Comcast NBCUniversal is advancing digital equity through Project UP, which is designed to help more people have equal access to the opportunities, education, and resources they need to succeed in a digital world.”
“Universal Pictures is proud to partner with Comcast to create the Jurassic World Rule Your Future STEAM Initiative,” said David O’Connor, President, Franchise Management, Brand Strategy & Partnerships, at Universal Pictures. “Jurassic World is a global, franchise that has inspired multiple generations to enter scientific fields, and we’re thrilled to be part of this program, which enables more high school students to explore careers in science, technology, and media. Comcast has long been committed to this type of work and we are thrilled to be inspiring the next generation of STEAM professionals.”
“We are delighted to be a part of this incredible STEAM initiative,” said COE President Maureen Hoyler. “Inspiring first generation-college-bound students and exposing them to careers they may have never thought possible is at the core of our mission at COE. We can’t wait to see what discoveries or innovations might happen as a result of our students participating in these creative learning experiences.”
The Jurassic World Rule Your Future STEAM Initiative will roll out in cities throughout the United States. In addition to the classroom experience, 350 TRIO students were given an all-expense-paid trip to attend the “Jurassic World Rule Your Future STEAM Initiative Symposium” at Universal Studios Hollywood from June 3 – June 5, 2022. There, they participated in interactive STEAM demonstrations, attended a college and career fair, saw an early screening of the new film, Jurassic World Dominion, experienced Universal Studios Hollywood, heard from the filmmakers and stars of the movie in a panel discussion and received a free laptop computer from Comcast’s Internet Essentials program.
Based on feedback from an initial pilot and symposium, the STEAM initiative will be expanded to provide free access to the curriculum at additional TRIO programs, Internet Essentials partners, and Comcast Lift Zone locations, with opportunities for additional activations in the future.
Comcast also provided activity boxes to 1,000 Lift Zone nonprofit community centers across the country to inspire younger students. In addition to other items, the boxes included a Jurassic World Rule Your Future STEAM Initiative Activity Book, custom created for Lift Zone partners, which will also be available for free, via digital download, to all Internet Essentials partners.
In addition to this exciting program, students and fans of the Jurassic World films, can experience two exciting thrill rides, inspired by the blockbuster movies. These include, VelociCoaster at Universal Orlando Resort, Florida’s fastest, tallest and most intense launch coaster ever created, catapulting riders 155 feet into the air at extreme speeds up to 70 mph while racing alongside a ferocious Velociraptor pack; and Jurassic World—The Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood, a spectacular mega-attraction featuring an all-new technologically-advanced and fully-articulated Indominus rex dinosaur who stakes her claim in a forceful battle with her arch-rival, the Tyrannosaurus rex.
For more information on Project UP and the latest news on efforts to address digital inequities, please visit https://corporate.comcast.com/impact/project-up.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on connectivity, aggregation, and streaming with 57 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
About the Council for Opportunity in Education
The Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) is a nonprofit organization, established in 1981, dedicated to furthering the expansion of college opportunities for low-income, first-generation students, and students with disabilities. Through its numerous membership services, the Council works in conjunction with colleges, universities, and agencies that host Federal TRIO Programs that help more than 800,000 low-income students and students with disabilities each year receive college access and retention services.
