Over the past decade, employees at MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, have turned a global employee volunteer program into a real movement. As SPARK™ marks its 10th anniversary, the “10 Years, 10 Stories” series reflects on a decade of impact and the employees, students, and organizations that have been at the heart of the program.
In the final article in this series, former students who participated in SPARK™ programs are in the spotlight. For the past 10 years, employee volunteers have worked to inspire curiosity through hands-on learning experiences. For some students, those experiences became more than a memorable school day, serving as a catalyst for a future in STEM.
Jake Mooney
As a high school senior enrolled in AP Biology, Jake Mooney participated in a tour of MilliporeSigma’s Bedford, MA facility, where he explored laboratories, observed demonstrations, and engaged with scientists throughout his tour. The experience reinforced his decision to pursue Biology in college and showed him how a career in science could align with his personal interests and values. Today, eight years into his career with the company as a Lab Water Sales Project Engineer II, where he recommends the best solutions for our customers’ need, Jake has come full circle by supporting SPARK™ as an employee volunteer. Since joining MilliporeSigma in 2018, he has helped coordinate multiple field trips for AP Biology students from his former high school, giving them the same opportunity he had to explore laboratories, interact with scientists, and discover how science can make a difference in people’s lives.
Bruno Menéndez
For Bruno Menéndez, a current Biology student at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, curiosity about science began early. Through the company’s Curiosity Labs™ sessions at his elementary school, he participated in hands-on experiments that brought scientific concepts to life, particularly lessons focused on DNA and cells. The experience further fueled his interest in laboratory science and reinforced his desire to pursue a STEM education. Today, Bruno is studying Biology and is motivated by the opportunity to contribute new knowledge and solutions that help address some of the world's most pressing challenges.
Jochabay McGeeBey
Jochabay McGeeBey first encountered SPARK™ through a Curiosity Cube™ visit while serving as a summer camp counselor at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center in East St. Louis, Illinois. The hands-on activities sparked both her own curiosity and appreciation for the power of science education. Inspired by a desire to help others and a lifelong interest in science, she pursued a career in STEM and now works as a Chemical Production Operator at MilliporeSigma. Years after experiencing the Curiosity Cube™ as a camp counselor, Jochabay returned to the mobile science lab as an employee volunteer, helping the next generation of young scientists just as others once inspired her.
Learn more about SPARK™ and the company's Curiosity Programs by visiting its Employee and Community Engagement website.
