Winchester Civil Air Patrol cadets engage with tech at Shenandoah Center for Immersive Learning

WINCHESTER, Va. (Apr 22, 2024) – Over 60 Civil Air Patrol (CAP) cadets from the Winchester Composite Squadron visited Shenandoah University’s Shenandoah Center for Immersive Learning (SCiL) this past week and had a full evening of engaging with immersive technology and inspiration towards future careers. 

SCiL staff and students provided several different experiences for the cadets. They engaged in an overview of mixed reality and academics, in which they tested the sound isolation and recording booth and motion capture space. They also experienced virtual reality and augmented reality in the main lab, trying out different stations that were created by the SCiL students and staff. Cadets also perused the aviation showcase, trying out the virtual reality drone assembly training, an overview of drones owned by the lab, and a flight simulator. 

This dedicated tour aligned with a couple of Civil Air Patrol’s goals, which is to inspire in youth a love of aviation, space, and technology and introduce them to aerospace career opportunities. 

Cadet Master Sergeant Alexander Mills commented, “I had a great time experiencing all that the SCiL lab had to offer, I enjoyed their simulation of a life-like French 75-millimeter gun and the simulation of the debates during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that led to the creation of the Electoral College. Overall, the SCiL lab is making revolutionary discoveries on how to use VR and AR better.”
 
Shenandoah University offers a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of science program in Virtual Reality Design. More information can be found at: https://www.su.edu/scil/