The conference presentation was based on the DoD STEM Ambassador Impact Project which was a collaborative effort led by Texas Tech Health El Paso graduate students Alejandra Muñoz and Briana Olivares, and Dr. Alyssa Cervantes Benavides from the Office of IPE, to transform an unused, million-dollar collection of laboratory equipment at Del Valle High School (DVHS) into a fully operational, hands-on STEM hub. The initiative began after graduate students learned that the expensive equipment, funded by groups such as the Tigua Tribal Community and the University of Texas at El Paso. and the Texas Workforce Commission was sitting idle due to staffing changes at the high school. Driven by a U.S. Department of Defense STEM Ambassador grant, the students and Dr. Benavides volunteered to lead the entire setup, designing crucial safety training programs and creating a sustainable mentorship model to maximize the equipment's potential for students.

The primary objective of the project was to establish a sustainable mentorship program that pairs DVHS biomedical science students with mentors from Texas Tech Health El Paso's various schools (Medicine, Nursing, Dental Medicine, Biomedical Sciences) and the UTEP School of Pharmacy. Graduate students, along with the Graduate Student Association and community partners, transformed an empty space into a functional lab over the 2025 Spring Break. This rapid transformation has had an immediate impact, enabling students who had never touched professional lab equipment to now lead their own experiments and prepare to present original research at science fairs. The project was celebrated with a showcase event in May, marking a significant step toward expanding STEM opportunities across the Ysleta ISD community and demonstrating the power of student-led action to prevent wasted educational potential.

The Impact Project was presented via a breakout session at the High School Science Research Teachers Conference in Washington, DC, during the first weekend of October, which was hosted by the Society for Science and the Public.