Brandon University’s Mini University program is expanding hands-on science and technology learning opportunities for youth and teachers across Western Manitoba thanks to new federal funding through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) PromoScience program.
Mini U has been awarded $153,000 over three years through the NSERC PromoScience program to establish a new STEM Lending Library that will provide K–8 educators with access to hands-on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning equipment and resources. The funding includes $51,000 annually from 2026–28, with Brandon University contributing an additional $4,000 per year toward the initiative.
“We are incredibly grateful to NSERC PromoScience for supporting Mini U’s new STEM Lending Library,” said Ivah Gallagher, Program Coordinator at Mini University. “This funding gives us the opportunity to help K–8 teachers bring more hands-on science, technology, engineering, and math experiences into their classrooms, especially at a time when Manitoba schools are engaging with a renewed science curriculum.”
The STEM Lending Library will allow teachers throughout Brandon and the Westman region to borrow equipment and classroom kits designed to support Manitoba’s renewed science curriculum and increase student engagement in STEM subjects.
“Mini U has always been about sparking curiosity in young learners, and this project allows us to extend that mission beyond our summer camp and into classrooms across Brandon and the Westman area,” Gallagher said. “We are also excited that this equipment will enrich our own summer programming, giving Mini U campers even more hands-on opportunities to explore, build, test, and discover.”
Current plans for the STEM Lending Library include robotics sets, microscopes, cardboard construction tools, electronics kits, and other STEM manipulatives. Equipment will be added throughout the three-year grant period, with teachers helping shape future purchases through ongoing feedback and wishlist requests.
Mini U expects the first lending kits to be available for borrowing beginning in September 2026.
The initiative builds on Mini U’s longstanding commitment to STEM outreach and accessible educational programming. Founded in 1984, Mini U has served more than 25,000 children and youth through summer camps, field trips, and year-round educational programming.
The lending library is expected to reach hundreds of K–8 classrooms and impact roughly 14,500 students over the three-year funding period, while also supporting the professional development of nearly 1,000 professional and pre-service teachers.
The new lending library will also support Mini U’s own programming, including summer camps, field trips, teacher professional development sessions, and outreach initiatives focused on Indigenous youth, Black youth, girls in STEM, and rural learners.
“Mini U has a long history of making STEM education engaging, accessible, and fun for young people across Western Manitoba,” said Katie Whelpton, Dean of Students at Brandon University. “This investment will help ensure that students and teachers, particularly in rural and underserved communities, have access to the tools and experiences that can spark lifelong interest in science and technology.”
The NSERC PromoScience program supports organizations across Canada that inspire young Canadians to explore science and engineering through hands-on learning experiences.
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