In the summer of 2024, Roan Marley walked through the doors of the ODU Innovation Lab as a rising 10th-grade student eager to explore new opportunities through Mariner’s Adventure Camp. Two years later, he returned to the very same program, but this time, not as a participant.
Now a rising senior at Newport News Public Schools, Roan is spending his summer as a Career Pathways Intern with Newport News Public Schools, assisting the Mariner’s Adventure Camp supervisor and helping create a positive experience for this year’s campers, much like the one he experienced.
The Mariner’s Adventure Camp Experience
Mariner’s Adventure Camp is a three-week, maritime-focused STEM camp offered through the ODU Center for Educational Innovation and Opportunity in partnership with the Newport News Public Schools. Designed for middle and high school students, the camp introduces participants to the maritime industry while inspiring future enrollment in the Maritime Engineering and Environmental Sciences Academy (MEESA), a two-year college partnership lab school for 11th- and 12th-grade students that prepares students for maritime careers through hands-on, experiential STEM learning.
Throughout the three-week experience, campers visit maritime sites, hear from industry professionals, explore careers through guest speakers and a career fair, and gain hands-on experience with makerspace technologies such as 3D printing. Working alongside mentors, students develop prototypes to solve real-world challenges facing the maritime industry.
For Roan, the experience extended beyond the hands-on activities
“I like how ODU does outreach and does partnerships like this. It shows that they interact with the community,” Roan said.
The experience gave Roan an early connection to Old Dominion University as he began exploring colleges and thinking about his future after high school.
Exploring Opportunities at ODU
As Roan researched colleges, he considered several universities before narrowing down his options.
His passion for video game development ultimately led him to Old Dominion University.
“I looked at a lot of schools,” Roan said. “When I toured ODU and saw they had an actual program focused on video game development, it really stood out. That’s not something common around here, and I liked that ODU treats it as a real program.”
As Roan enters his senior year of high school, ODU remains his top choice, and he hopes to begin his journey as a Monarch in fall 2027.
Building the Next Generation
As Roan prepares for his senior year of high school, he is also helping inspire the next group of campers to explore careers in the maritime industry.
Through partnerships like Mariner’s Adventure Camp, the ODU Center for Educational Innovation and Opportunity and Newport News Public Schools are helping build the future workforce by connecting students with hands-on STEM experiences, industry professionals, and career pathways.
Roan’s journey demonstrates the lasting impact these partnerships can have. What began as a summer camp experience introduced him to new career possibilities, strengthened his connection to Old Dominion University, and ultimately brought him back to support the next generation of students while continuing to pursue his own goals.
Sometimes, the journey comes full circle.