SFP alum helps students engineer excitement during interactive lesson

March 23, 2026

Science Focus Program students turned a visit from professional engineers into towers of STEM knowledge this winter – thanks to a familiar face.

Science Focus Program alum Glen Williams and his colleagues from Omaha-based HDR, Inc. shared their knowledge with SFP students during an interactive presentation in early March. Williams, a procurement reporting and automation analyst at HDR, attended SFP classes for four years and graduated from Lincoln High in 2018. He returned to Lincoln to raise awareness about the wide variety of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) jobs available in Nebraska.

“My hope was that in getting engaged with the students today, they might come to see some of the opportunities that exist for them here, and we might be able to retain some more of those kids,” Williams said.

 
The HDR employees helped the scholars design and test model towers in a group engineering activity. The company specializes in architecture, engineering, environmental and construction services. SFP junior Judi and sophomore Aiden said they enjoyed hosting Williams and his co-workers.

“Even one of the workers that was up there today was a Science Focus Program graduate,” Judi said. “So, it was really nice to be like, ‘Oh my gosh, he actually went here a couple years ago and he’s graduated now. He’s working at this really big business, and he’s doing it.’”
 
“I think it’s important to show career opportunities to high school students, because a lot of them are either going to graduate soon or are going to start working,” Aiden said. “So, it’s important that they know all these different places that they can look at and really decide, ‘Oh hey, what do I want to do with my life?’”

HDR employees also answered questions and served as role models for the future STEM workers.

“I think there’s a good possibility that a lot of us are staying here in Lincoln, or at least in Nebraska locally, and to have this opportunity to know that, ‘Hey, if you’re interested in structurals and architecture and engineering, there is this place locally that you can go to and work at,’” Judi said. “You don’t have to, if you don’t want to adventure that far out, you don’t have to adventure that far."

Williams said he was pleased to offer encouraging messages to the program. He developed many critical thinking skills at SFP that he now uses on a daily basis at HDR.

“I know what these kids are learning. I know who’s teaching them, and I know that they’re getting a really high-quality education. So, it just seemed like a perfect fit, you know, for us to get involved together,” Williams said.
 
Lindsey Roy said it was important for SFP students to realize that STEM skills are transferable to hundreds of career paths. The SFP administrator watched with excitement as Williams and other HDR employees helped them conduct engineering experiments at their tables.
 
Each group used pieces of paper to construct earthquake-resistant towers that could bear the weight of a full can of green beans for five seconds. Several teams cheered when the skyscrapers and cans remained steady after being placed on a shaking platform.
 
“Having Glen and the other professionals with HDR gives the students an opportunity to explore their future careers,” Roy said. “There are so many more careers out there than what we can imagine when we are young. Giving students meaningful interactions with a variety of careers and people in STEM fields helps them to imagine what might be in their own future.”

 
Aiden teamed up with Nathan, Rashed, Evelyn and Tilda to build their structure. He said choosing the correct foundation style made a difference.
 
“We used a lot of geometry,” Aiden said. “We found a lot of layering was a good idea using shapes. It really helped us make the best tower that we could.”
 
Many of the strongest structures were built from multiple cylinder bases. This highlighted how the wide selection of academic construction materials available at SFP can provide students with stable futures.
 
Williams also emphasized that career development does not have to follow a straightforward path. He first studied physics and math at the University of Nebraska-Omaha before switching to a supply chain management major. He is now applying the STEM talents that he gained at SFP and UNO to conduct data research in the business world.
 
“You can think about it like climbing a mountain,” Williams said. “You go through passes. You walk up switchbacks. It’s not a linear journey, necessarily. And so, you have to be open to that process and just let your interests and your capabilities guide you as you move through that.”
 
Judi said it was inspiring to know that many SFP teachers had remained friends with Williams after graduation. She said the HDR visit reinforced her belief that she had made the right decision to attend the focus program.
 
“I found some of my closest friends that I’m going to have for a long time, and I found some teachers that have really put in all they can towards my learning and towards helping me become who I am,” Judi said. “And so, it’s just really nice, and it brings a warm feeling to my heart of like, they’ve seen me grow up, and they’re going to continue to support me until I graduate, and even maybe when I come back as an alumni for future years and for concerns.”
 
Want to learn how to customize your high school experience? Explore Science Focus Program.
 
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