08/27/2026
Start Early, Stay Connected: Reimagining Adventist University Recruitment
Ninth grader and AE4 alumna Luna Ramos has set her sights on attending Loma Linda University—an aspiration that illustrates both the importance and the potential of the FLCOE K–20+ STEM+C Pipeline.
Spearheaded by the Florida Conference Institute for Leadership and Innovation (FCILI), the pipeline is designed to introduce students to Adventist colleges and universities beginning in middle school through engaging, authentic learning experiences. By connecting students with university faculty, researchers, mentors, and real-world opportunities early in their educational journey, the pipeline builds meaningful relationships long before traditional college recruitment typically begins.
Luna’s story also highlights an important challenge and opportunity for Adventist education. After middle school, she transitioned out of the Adventist school system. Without the relationships she developed through AE4 and the FLCOE Innovation Scholar Program, she could easily have become disconnected from Adventist education and may never have been reached through traditional university recruitment efforts.
The K–20+ STEM+C Pipeline offers a different approach. Rather than waiting until the 11th grade to introduce students to Adventist higher education, it seeks to cultivate relationships early, sustain those relationships across educational transitions, and inspire students to envision an Adventist university as part of their future. Luna’s desire to attend Loma Linda University demonstrates the potential impact of viewing recruitment not as a single point of contact, but as a long-term relationship built through meaningful experiences.
An Innovation Journey That Began in Seventh Grade
As a seventh grader at Forest City Adventist School, a K–9 school, Luna completed the AE4 Fundamentals of Innovation, Mechatronics, and Entrepreneurship course. Through the experience, she began developing a medical device to address Pusher Syndrome, working in partnership with Loma Linda University under the guidance of Dr. Dan Wilson, Clinical Instructor, Physical Therapy, School of Allied Health Professions. Her experience provided an early connection to Loma Linda University through authentic research and innovation rather than traditional recruitment.
During her eighth-grade year, Luna took ownership of her innovation journey by designing a personalized innovation course around a problem that was deeply meaningful to her. Inspired by her grandmother’s experience with Alzheimer’s disease, Luna designed and built a working prototype of an AI-powered vision device intended to assist individuals living with Alzheimer’s.
Her work extended well beyond the classroom. Luna presented her research at the AdventHealth University Student Research Event and earned third place in the STEM+C Research Division at FLCOE InnovationX 2026, hosted at AdventHealth Orlando.
Continuing the Journey Beyond an Adventist School
Although Luna no longer attends an FLCOE school, her connection to Adventist education and the innovation community continues through the FLCOE Innovation Scholar Program. An initiative of FCILI—the research and development arm of the Florida Conference Office of Education—the program provides a pathway for students to remain connected and continue advancing their research and innovation journeys, even when they are no longer enrolled in an Adventist school.
As Luna continues developing her Alzheimer’s-focused research, she is being mentored by Tiffany McIntyre, Community Engagement Manager and Certified Dementia Practitioner with the AdventHealth Neuroscience Institute. Through this mentorship, Luna has the opportunity to learn from an industry professional, deepen her understanding of the needs of individuals living with dementia, and continue refining a solution inspired by a real-world healthcare challenge.
Luna’s journey—from a seventh-grade AE4 course, to collaborating with Loma Linda University, to conducting independent research, presenting her work, and continuing as an FLCOE Innovation Scholar—demonstrates the vision behind the K–20+ STEM+C Pipeline: engage students early, connect them with Adventist institutions through meaningful experiences, sustain those relationships over time, and cultivate the next generation of innovation leaders.
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