Mission Bit partners with Meta to teach free virtual reality courses at Meta’s Menlo Park HQ
San Francisco, July 5, 2024 — Mission Bit is thrilled to announce the continuation of its partnership with Meta, aimed at expanding educational offerings to include cutting-edge Virtual Reality (VR) courses. For the past two years, Mission Bit has collaborated with Meta to offer free VR courses at Meta’s Menlo Park Headquarters. This summer, these free VR courses will continue, providing students with an unparalleled opportunity to learn and innovate in a state-of-the-art environment.
Breaking new ground in STEM education
Mission Bit is always seeking ways to inspire and empower students by providing access to the latest technology and educational resources. This continued partnership with Meta represents a significant step forward in Mission Bit’s mission to bring high-quality, project-based computer science education to youth of color.
By offering VR courses, Mission Bit is not only teaching students valuable technical skills but also equipping them with the tools to become creators and innovators in the rapidly evolving field of virtual reality.
The VR Course experience
The VR courses, designed and taught by experienced instructors, will cover a range of topics, including:
- VR fundamentals and setup: Comprehensive training on the Meta Quest 2, covering setup and interface navigation, VR basics, and advanced techniques for enhancing VR presence and locomotion to ensure a comfortable and effective virtual reality experience.
- Unity for VR: Equips students with mastery of Unity’s interface and tools for VR development, utilization of the Unity Asset store, skills in importing and managing assets, and techniques for creating engaging VR experiences through audio and visual feedback.
- Interactive VR development: Empower students to design intuitive VR user interfaces, create and manage interactive environments, integrate hand tracking and gesture recognition, and refine VR interactions through rigorous testing to ensure usability and comfort.
These courses will take place at Meta’s Menlo Park headquarters, offering students a unique chance to learn in a professional tech environment. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to interact with Meta employees, gaining insights into the industry and potential career paths.
A word from our CEO
Christina Ortega, CEO of Mission Bit, shared her excitement about the continued partnership:
“We are incredibly excited about our ongoing partnership with Meta for the third consecutive year. What makes this cohort particularly special is having one of our alumni from just two years ago return as a teaching assistant. Being able to witness our students’ journey come full circle so quickly is truly rewarding.”
A word from a student-turned-instructor
Antonio Campbell-Rodriguez, who participated in the program in 2022, is joining the instructional team this year as a High School Intern. He shared what impact he hopes to have as an instructor:
“I hope to have an even bigger impact on these rising juniors than the amount of impact I experienced when I was in their shoes. I want to be not only a leader and role model to these kids, but a friend who shares a lot of similarities among the underrepresented youth.”
Join us on this exciting journey
The partnership with Meta is one of the many ways Mission Bit is working to expand access to high-quality STEM education and inspire the next generation of tech leaders. Mission Bit is committed to providing students with the tools and opportunities they need to succeed and make a difference in the world.
Stay tuned for more updates and exciting news from Mission Bit. Together, we are shaping the future of tech education. If you are a tech company and would like to partner with Mission Bit. Please reach out to our development team.
About Mission Bit
Mission Bit inspires youth of color to explore the world of STEM with project-based computer science education that embraces their identities. Through innovative programming and a commitment to inclusivity, Mission Bit is transforming the lives of students and shaping the future of the tech industry.
About Meta
Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. Since Facebook’s launch in 2004, it has changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp further empower billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology.