Who We Are
Who We Are
DAPCEP (Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program) is an educational 501(c)3 organization providing high quality and standards-aligned science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programming to youth in metropolitan Detroit.
Our ultimate goal is to increase student interest in STEM and assist in the academic preparation needed to graduate from high school and succeed in a university-level STEM curriculum, thereby increasing the number of skilled STEM professionals in the talent pipeline. We exist to:
- Increase student interest in STEM.
- Expose students to campus-centered, academic activities to enrich traditional academic programming and get students excited about higher education.
- Increase student proficiency in their respective STEM courses.
- Expose students to opportunities in STEM fields to generate excitement about future careers.
- Motivate students to graduate from high school and matriculate in college.
Our History
DAPCEP was founded in 1976 and in our first year, we partnered with the University of Michigan and Michigan State University to serve 245 students at one Detroit Public School (formerly DPS, now DPSCD) high school and one middle school. Demand for the program grew rapidly and we expanded our programmatic offerings and constituent base to include youth from all over the Detroit area. Today, we reach more than 16,000 youth annually and engage school districts, colleges and universities, and numerous corporations in programming activities.