2025 Mentorship Sites
Burke County Emergency Communications
By the end of the 4-day internship, participants will be able to describe the roles and responsibilities of 911 Communications, EMS, Fire Management (FM), Emergency Management (EM), and Law Enforcement, demonstrate a basic understanding of how these agencies work together during emergency response, and present a research project that reflects their knowledge of public safety operations.
Catawba Valley Medical Center
Students have the opportunity to observe healthcare professionals in action, develop an understanding of the healthcare system and discuss educational preparation and best practices for planning for a future within healthcare.
Epic Games – Next Gen Creators Academy
Students spend four days unleashing their creativity and learning to build interactive cross-platform games and experiences within Fortnite with Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN).
NIIMBL BioLOGIC
Students learn about biopharmaceutical manufacturing by touring biopharma facilities and doing a project-based program of the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals. The program focuses on engagement with advanced technologies, familiarization with the principles of entrepreneurship, identifying and reading research to better understand a disease, and exposure to the education and career pathways that lead into the advanced manufacturing sector.
Key Dates for Summer 2026:
- January 6, 2026: Application portal opens
- February 12, 2026: INSPIRE Virtual Information Session
- March 5, 2026: Application portal closes
- April 6, 2026: Acceptance decisions emailed
- April 10, 2026: Deadline for acceptance contracts to be submitted
- June 21-26, 2026: INSPIRE at NCSSM-Morganton
INSPIRE Virtual Information Session:
The INSPIRE Virtual Information Session is a free event, providing an overview of the program. The event will take place on February 12, 2026 at 7:00 pm. (Registration is closed.)
INSPIRE Virtual Office Hours:
The purpose of the INSPIRE Virtual Office Hours is to answer any questions that parents, students, and/or educators may have about the INSPIRE application process. The dates/times for this application season are as follows:
- January 20, 2026: (4:30 pm – 6:30 pm)
- February 24, 2026: (4:30 pm – 6:30 pm)
To sign up for a virtual office hour time slot, please click here. Please note that sign-ups are on a first come, first serve basis.
