Grove City College is again teaming up with local, state and national partners to inspire young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
The College, in collaboration with Pennsylvania Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV, will host the Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Grove City College Women in STEM Summit on Jan. 18, 2017, on campus. This is the second year the College has hosted the summit.
Over 300 local middle- and high-school students are registered for the event, which offers students STEM interest-building activities led by Grove City College faculty and students along with MIT students, including hands-on projects, question-and-answer sessions and a chance to “test drive” Grove City College’s STEM Hall.
In addition, STEM professionals from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) and Covestro, a leading global manufacturer of polymers with a focus on innovation and sustainability, will discuss STEM-related careers with the young women and lead hands-on projects.
“Opportunities such as this are critical to increasing the number of women that pursue STEM careers, which is necessary to meet the growing national need for STEM professionals,” Dr. Stacy Birmingham, dean of the Hopeman School of Science, Engineering and Mathematics at Grove City College, said. “My own desire to pursue engineering was fostered by engineering professionals that I met while in high school, and it is my hope that this event will spark an interest in the STEM disciplines for many of these young women.”
Grove City College faculty, including Dr. Michelle Clauss, Dr. Tim Mohr, Dr. Kristina Pazehoski and Dr. DJ Wagner, along with education major Katy Gibson ’17, will hold small group workshops for the attending students. That’s in addition to large group activities led by representatives of MIT. Dr. Connie Nichols, chair of the College’s Department of Education, is helping to organize the event.
Participating schools include: Lakeview, Grove City, Ellwood City, Wilmington, Hermitage, Neshannock, Union, Cardinal Wuerl, Mars, Sharpsville and New Castle.
The PPG Foundation is providing critical financial support for the event.
The MIT Women’s Initiative reaches approximately 6,000 middle and high school girls each year in nearly every state in the country.
Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV is an educational service agency that provides programs and services to 27 school districts in Butler, Lawrence, and Mercer Counties. As one of 29 Intermediate Units in Pennsylvania, MIU IV implements projects administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the State Board of Education, the General Assembly, and the United States Department of Education.
Grove City College is committed to advancing STEM education for all students and providing educational opportunities to regional schools. To find out more about our science, technology, engineering and mathematics majors and the Hopeman School of Science, Engineering and Mathematics, visit www.gcc.edu/hopeman.