The Watford Engineering Experience at Virginia Tech (WEE VT)

The Watford Engineering Experience at Virginia Tech (WEE VT), named in honor of CEED's founder, Dr. Bevlee Watford, is a two-week summer, residential, program at our main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia for rising junior and senior high school students. Participants in this program must be a Virginia resident. One of our missions as a land-grant institution is to support the commonwealth, and this program seeks to enroll students from across Virginia. It offers an opportunity to explore the many facets of engineering while also learning about college life—from residence halls to classrooms and everything in-between.

A trailblazer in engineering education, Dr. Watford dedicated over 30 years of service to the engineering profession, our university, and the Commonwealth of Virginia. As a lifelong member of the Virginia Tech community, Dr. Watford earned bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in engineering, including a bachelor's in mining engineering and advanced degrees in industrial engineering and operations research. During her esteemed career, Dr. Watford led (CEED) as its executive director from 1992-2024. Her tireless mentorship has inspired generations of students within and beyond Virginia to pursue their passions in STEM. Under Dr. Watford's visionary guidance, CEED became a national model for promoting community in engineering education. WEE VT embodies Dr. Watford's commitment to helping Virginia Tech fulfill its land-grant mission by advancing outreach and fostering community engagement. By naming WEE VT after Dr. Watford, we aim to provide enriching experiences for prospective students and continue her transformative legacy.

WEE VT will be held Sunday, July 12 – Saturday, July 25, 2026. 

• 2026 applications are open!
• Applications Close: March 8, 2026
• Notification of Decision: April 3, 2026

The application is a joint application with the C-Tech^2 and UPWARDS summer programs. You will have the option to select and rank your choices for one or more programs. In order to maximize the number of students who can participate, successful applicants will only be given an offer to one camp. 

What is WEE VT all about?

• Exploring applications of engineering in a way that is fun and exciting
• Spending time involved in hands-on activities designed to increase your interest in and knowledge of applications of engineering to real world situations
• Attending seminars to help you prepare for the college application process
• Interacting with others interested in pursuing careers in various engineering fields
• Completing an engineering design project supported by Bloomberg Industry Group
• Learning about the support programs available for students

Contact WEE VT

220 Gilbert Street (MC 0275), Blacksburg, Virginia, 24061
(540) 231-7337   |   Email WEE VT