SCC Student Honored by Spartanburg Science Center

January 5, 2022 by Colton Grace | SCC | 2022news

Will Lawson, SCC student — Will Lawson, a Spartanburg-native and student in Spartanburg Community College’s Mechatronics Program has been working as an intern at the Science Center for two years.

Wednesday night, a Spartanburg Community College student was honored by the Spartanburg Science Center for his tireless work helping to care for the more than 40 animals at the Center and helping to keep the organization up and running throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Will Lawson, a Spartanburg-native and student in Spartanburg Community College’s Mechatronics Program has been working as an intern at the Science Center for two years.

“Will has the ability to design and build almost anything we need at the Science Center, plus he works teaching classes at the Boys & Girls Club in the afternoon, teaches summer camp, gives lessons, and is just a wonderful example of the amazing young people in our community,” said Mary Levens, Executive Director of the Spartanburg Science Center. “Will routinely goes above and beyond in his work for us. We weren’t sure the Science Center would be able to weather the pandemic, but we were able to solely because of Will and our other wonderful student workers.”

Through his service to the Spartanburg Science Center, Will has helped install new cabinetry, he has gone into local middle and elementary schools to teach schoolchildren about various reptiles and other animals, and has designed and built a new enclosure for Teak the Tegu — a large-bodied lizard that calls the Science Center home.

Will and his fellow student workers will also be starting a new podcast, “Out of the Lab With…” which will consist of interviews with local scientists to discuss what they do, how they became interested in their careers, and how local students can find opportunities in those career fields.

“I am immensely proud to learn about Will and the remarkable work he has done for our community and the Spartanburg Science Center,” said Dr. Michael Mikota, President of Spartanburg Community College. “Our students have an incredible impact on our community and our state. Through Will’s work in our local schools and the Boys & Girls Club, he will serve as a shining example for untold amounts of young people who can one day follow in his footsteps.”

Will is set to graduate from SCC’s Mechatronics Program in December of 2022 and hopes to enter a career at Michelin through Spartanburg Community College’s Michelin Scholars program.