STEM Program Entry Essay

My acceptance into the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) program became one of my greatest experiences at North County High School. Throughout my STEM classes, I had learned to think more critically and creatively. STEM required us to collaborate to solve problems. This collaboration taught me proper communication and strong leadership skills which I utilized effectively during summer bridge projects and the community challenge projects that we did each year. One of the most significant community challenge projects that I did with a partner was design and print, using a 3-D printer provided from my school to create a cookie cutting prototype that helped modernize the production of cookies for a local bakery owner. Through

As a part of the HBCU Alumni Alliance’s Higher Education initiative program; Alumni of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are concerned about the inadequate representation of minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) related professions. Consequently, DCHBCUAA STEM professionals have designed and organized an instructional hands-on STEM workshop for students in grades 10-12, to enlighten them on the different facets of professions available in the sciences. As a part of our community partnership with Kaiser Permanente, we have a workshop scheduled for Saturday, April 29, 2017, from 800 am-5:00 pm, at 2101 Jefferson Street in Rockville, Maryland.

Alumni of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are concerned about the inadequate representation of minorities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related professions. Consequently, DCHBCUAA STEM professionals have designed and organized an instructional hands-on workshop for students in grades 10-12. The workshop is designed to increase their awareness of the exciting opportunities available in the sciences and to provide an opportunity for students to talk to subject matter experts currently working in STEM occupations.

As a STEM student in the Biomedical pathway I am constantly introduced to new forms of science every single day, which is certainly a privilege because as a STEM student I am exposed to new ways of learning which aren’t covered in a typical classroom setting. In fact, Science is my favorite subject because it’s a constantly evolving subject that is responsible for the fluidity of earths processes. Moreover, my interest to increase my knowledge base leads to my interest in the Science aspect of the Governor’s Honor Program.

In undergrad, I volunteered my time as a teacher for the Saturday Science Academy on the campus of Charles R. Drew University. My work with the high school students reminded me that to make a difference, you must first care about the individual and understand their circumstances. The Saturday Science

As a SETA member I have participated twice as a workshop presenter for the annual STEM Workshop Conferences, “Expanding Your Horizons,” and the “Latino Youth Leadership Academy.” These conferences entitle grade school students to expose themselves to science workshops; raising awareness of higher education in the STEM field, which is an important advocacy I

A challenging new opportunity presented itself as Pat became the STEM instructor for Davidson County’s newest, most innovative middle school, Oak Grove. While she Incorporated her passion for driving students to reach their maximum potential she became a leader in the teaching community as the EXCEL (encourage, excellence, character, enthusiasm and leadership) sponsor for our PBIS team, a sponsor for the Robotics Team, and promoted numerous fundraisers throughout the entire school year for the general purpose of extending educational opportunities for all the students at Oak

Realizing the deficits in numbers of primary care physicians in rural Ohio has been a chief motivator for me to pursue osteopathic medicine at the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. My Appalachian home town of Gnadenhutten, Ohio encompasses one of these medically underserved areas, and working with and receiving my tutelage from a couple of the few physicians in my area, I wish to come back to serve it. I believe that Rural and Urban Scholars Pathway program will be an invaluable asset in accomplishing my goals of eventually serving the medical needs of my rural community.

In a speech in February 2013 President Barak Obama said, “One of the things that I really strongly believe in is that we need to have more girls interested in math, science, and engineering. We’ve got half the population that is way underrepresented in those fields and that means that we’ve got a whole bunch of talent…not being encouraged the way they need to.” It been three years since President Obama has made that statement and the underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering and math as known as STEM majors is still a big problem today. The STEM workforce is crucial to Americas global competitiveness and groundbreaking capability. The people who work in the STEM field make up nearly half of the United

STEM integration within America’s schools is a necessary requirement to adequately prepare students to compete in our future society. Although growth in STEM related jobs is quite apparent, knowledge of STEM capacities is necessary to function in the 21st century.

This report navigates the current state of STEM demographic in the country. It examines the reasons why there are less females undertaking STEM majors and gives recommendations on the problems. A brief history on STEM is outlined and the discussion follows with in depth analysis on the subject. STEM is a very critical education discipline with an importance in the economy of the country. Much as it is important, few students choose a career path in STEM. Although, there are more than 50% female students in Colleges and Universities, 12% take STEM related course. Why is this? This report is a compilation of empirical data collected in journals on the same subject explaining

The discovery of interests in school begins at a young age, “career aspirations based on individual aptitudes, interests, and values are formulated during adolescence and shape the academic choices that lead to the STEM career pipeline” (Wang 771). Girls may discover that they are interested in science or mathematics at an early age, but they are generally compared to their male counterparts, who are given more attention at a younger age to pursue careers in this field. This time frame is critical, if attention is not given and more concentration is placed, girls may lose interest or consideration in the subject, seeing that it has nothing to offer for them. Jill Bystydzienski asserts, “little attention is paid, however to girls’ engagements with engineering during early stages of decision making” (1-2). If young females were given personal interactions with a field, they can then decide if they have a further interest in the subject. With no introduction to the field in middle school or even high school, the girls do not really understand what they can do with the profession. Some may explore options on their own, and others may just bypass the opportunities that could await them, “young girls cannot possibly consider opportunities they do not know exist” (“Why STEM”). Even when interest is expressed by girls at a young age they still do not have as many resources to opportunities to learn more about the

The differing personalities of the two co-founders of STEM Academy at Union High School, Melody Gao and I were essential to the success of our organization. In my sophomore year of high school, I founded a club called STEM Academy with my close friend, Melody, to promote science to elementary school students ranging from kindergarten to 5th graders. It was created as a fairly female dominated club because we wanted young girls to see role models and let them know it’s normal for girls to be interested and good at science. We started our first year volunteering at our nearest elementary school, with approximately 60 students attending, by conducting two to three experiments or demonstrations within a two-hour block. By our senior year, we had

Despite the growing push for STEM, it is not well understood; there is little consensus about what it is, how to integrate STEM into classroom instruction, and how STEM learning can be assessed (Brown et al., 2011; Huntley, 1998; Pitt, 2009). Stakeholders who are interested in promoting STEM are often confused by the construct. These stakeholders include government officials who are funding STEM initiatives, teachers who are expected to teach STEM, parents, businesses who need to invest in their future employment, and students (Breiner et al., 2012).

Consistently a top student in school, I developed an interest in science and technology, particularly during the formative years of my schooling. Being among the