FROM CLASSROOM TO CAREER

Share this article with a friend.

February 25, 2026

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Notre Dame Prep’s Engineering and Empathy course connects students with real-world STEM careers through hands-on learning.

A visit to a prosthetics manufacturing facility in Troy this month gave Notre Dame Prep students an up-close look at how engineering, health science and human-centered design intersect in professional practice.

Students enrolled in Notre Dame Prep’s Engineering and Empathy course traveled to Becker Prosthetics and Orthotics, where they toured the manufacturing floor, learned about career pathways in the field and observed how custom orthotic devices are designed and produced. Some students even volunteered to be fitted and cast, experiencing firsthand the patient-centered side of the work.

The field trips, taken by both sections of the course, reflect the school’s emphasis on experiential STEM learning and its commitment to connecting classroom concepts with real-world application.

Engineering with purpose

The Engineering and Empathy course blends technical problem-solving with ethical and human considerations, challenging students to think about how engineering decisions affect people and communities. The visit to Becker allowed students to see those principles in action.

“It was great to see a real-world example of what we’ve been learning in class,” said junior Daniela Alonso-Lopez. “It was fascinating to experience a work environment that was completely new to us.”

Senior Madison Zink echoed that sentiment, noting that the trip helped make abstract concepts tangible. “Seeing how engineering and health care work together gave me a better understanding of how these careers actually function day to day,” she said.

A partnership rooted in community

The Becker visits were made possible through Notre Dame Prep parent Beatrice Janka, who works for the company and helped coordinate the experience. Janka previously visited the Engineering and Empathy class as a guest speaker, introducing students to the prosthetics and orthotics field and discussing her own professional journey.

“Last year, Mrs. Janka spoke to our classes, and this year she suggested that students come see the manufacturing facility in person,” said Louise Palardy, who teaches the course. “That kind of partnership enriches the curriculum and gives students meaningful exposure to careers they may not have considered.”

During the visit, students toured the facility, learned about the materials and processes involved in orthotic manufacturing and observed how clinicians and technicians collaborate to meet patient needs.

From classroom connection to career opportunity

For some students, the impact of the Engineering and Empathy course has extended well beyond a single field trip.

Valerie Grass, a member of the Class of 2025, took the course during her senior year and credits it with helping launch her path in engineering. After meeting Janka through the class, Grass stayed in touch and later shadowed her at Becker.

“After her visit, I introduced myself to her and stayed in touch, which led to me shadowing her at her business twice,” Grass wrote in an email to Palardy.

That connection proved pivotal once Grass began her studies at Oakland University. While searching for entry-level opportunities, she reached out to Janka for advice, which led to an orthotic manufacturing internship over winter break.

“I was able to work as an orthotic manufacturing intern and gain an immense amount of valuable hands-on experience and skills,” Grass wrote. “Following that period, I was offered a research and development engineering internship for this upcoming summer, which for me is a perfect field-related opportunity that I am excited to begin this year.”

Grass emphasized that the experience reshaped her professional trajectory.

“Because of the connection I gained in your class, I ended up securing two internships, building my resume, expanding my skill set, and learning countless new things,” she wrote. “Bringing in Mrs. Janka may have seemed like a small addition to the curriculum, but it directly opened doors for me.”

Preparing students for what’s next

Stories like Grass’s illustrate how Notre Dame Prep’s science and STEM programs are designed to prepare students not only for college, but for careers that require adaptability, collaboration and ethical awareness.

The Engineering and Empathy course is one example of how the school integrates academic rigor with experiential learning, encouraging students to explore emerging fields while developing a strong sense of purpose.

“Our goal is to help students understand that science and engineering are about solving real problems for real people,” Palardy said. “When students can see that work happening in front of them, it makes a lasting impression.”

For prospective families, the Becker visits offer a glimpse into the breadth and depth of Notre Dame Prep’s STEM curriculum, where classroom learning is reinforced through partnerships, mentorship and hands-on experiences that continue to shape students long after graduation.

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org

About Notre Dame Preparatory School
"At Notre Dame Prep, we inspire our students to become the best versions of themselves. We challenge them through an experience of academic excellence, focused on active, project-based learning. We invite them to explore a world of opportunities beyond the classroom. We guide them as they grow in spirituality within a community strong in its Catholic and Marist identity."

Notre Dame Preparatory School is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School's upper school enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame Prep's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDP is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the National Association of Independent Schools. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School, visit the school’s home page at www.ndpma.org.