Lives Improve Through Engineering & Science (LITES)

# Lives Improve Through Engineering & Science (LITES) LITES is Kettering University's two-week residential pre-college program in Flint, Michigan. Long known for drawing young women into engineering, the program builds confidence in a collaborative community that supports young women and welcomes all students excited about STEM. Participants live on campus and rotate through Kettering's engineering and science laboratories with faculty and student mentors. The 2026 session ran July 13-24. ## What You'll Do - Investigate automotive safety engineering, including airbag and car seat design, at a university famous for its automotive roots - Explore biomedical engineering, environmental challenges, and forensic science applications in hands-on labs - Discover how engineering reshapes communities through applied design projects - Live in the residence halls for two weeks, connecting with like-minded peers and mentors through evening social activities ## Who Should Apply Students who will have completed 11th grade before the program (rising seniors) who want a deep, lab-based look at engineering and science majors before applying to college. The program fee is $1,500, and scholarships for students with demonstrated financial need are awarded first-come, first-served. The 2026 session has ended; applications for the next summer typically open in winter. ## Outcomes Participants leave with two weeks of university lab experience across multiple engineering disciplines, mentoring connections at Kettering, and a clearer sense of which engineering major fits - plus familiarity with a university whose co-op model places undergraduates in paid industry jobs from freshman year.