High School STEM Career Awareness Fellows Continue to Cite Program’s Value
100% OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS IN THIRD GRADUATING CLASS RECOMMEND THE FELLOWSHIP
The third class of Sandra Lee Heyman Foundation Fellows is continuing the program’s perfect record: 100% of those responding to their end-of-fellowship surveys have endorsed the program designed to expand high school students’ awareness of careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Begun in 2020, the fellowship program has enabled 83 high school students in Montgomery County, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., to learn more about STEM careers. Thirteen fellows in the program’s third class met with STEM professionals from conventional and non-traditional fields.
Key findings from the survey of Class 3 Fellows include:
100% are now more interested in pursuing a STEM career than they were before they began their fellowships.
100% would recommend the Fellowship experience to other students interested in STEM.
91% said that the fellowship influenced their decision to pursue a STEM career.
When asked “How interesting or valuable have our nine events been throughout your fellowship in helping you to learn more about STEM education and careers?” respondents on average graded the experience as a 9 out of a possible 10 points.
Those results track closely with feedback from the two previous classes of fellows. Class 3 graduates cited these takeaways:
“The range of different speakers introduced me to many careers that I did not know existed.”
“The most important takeaway for me was that very few career paths are linear. This was very reassuring to hear.”
“There is plenty of room to explore different paths before landing on a career that you love.”
“It's okay to be unsure or switch out of things you realize you don't really want, and your experiences can still help guide you on another path.”
“Listening to all the guest speakers made me realize that the major or career I chose at 17 does not define what I can and will do with my future. I also learned that trying new things and taking opportunities (internships, workshops, etc.) can help me figure out what I want to do.”
“It is crucial to give yourself the flexibility to change your pathway at any given moment in order to find your ‘calling.’"
“Your plan for the future is always flexible and subject to change, so don’t stress if it alters. Also, you can merge many interests into one career.”
“Do what you love, that way it doesn't feel like work. It's okay to be unsure or switch out of things you realize you don't really want, and your experiences can still help guide you on another path.”
“I learned that careers aren't binding, and that even if I have a job, I am still able to experiment and see what is right for me. If I believed I wanted to be or pursue something, but later realized that it wasn't for me, I can still change my path until I do find what career I truly want to do.”
On-site events included a visit with researchers at the National Zoo and with a civil engineer in the US Capitol’s Office of the Architect. Even though seven other events took place virtually due to the pandemic, the fellows were able to interact in small groups for candid discussions with the STEM experts. Guests offered insights into their STEM educational choices and experiences as well as candid lessons they have learned along the way.
Over the past three semesters, STEM professionals and topics included:
Dr. Judith Mitrani-Reiser, Ph.D., Associate Chief of the Materials and Structural Systems Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); Civil and structural engineering, the role of social sciences in making buildings more resilient, and the importance of STEM internships.
Andrea Heyman, Ph.D., Staff Software Engineer, Machine Learning, Etsy; Mathematics, computer science, and the value of casting a wide net in STEM education choices.
Lindsey Shi, Intellectual Property Lawyer and Partner, Kirkland & Ellis; The versatility of a STEM career and the intersection between STEM and the legal profession.
Dean Lentz, Vice President and General Manager, Ramona Research; Electronics, communications, aerospace, and manufacturing careers and what it takes to begin and lead a successful start-up.
Dr. Brian Evans, Migratory Bird Analyst, and Samantha Carranza, Research Technician, National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute; Ornithology, the importance of internships, and being a first-generation Latina woman in STEM.
Dr. Scott Weaver, Executive Director of the Interagency Meteorological Coordination Office with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and Dr. Dereka Scott-Carroll, Atmospheric Scientist, NIST; Climate, meteorology, and atmospheric science careers; sidetracking your education to explore other interests; and persisting as a Black female in STEM.
Laura Goetz, math teacher, and Akshay Gandhi, chemistry teacher, Richard Montgomery High School; Teaching as a STEM career option, the rewards of the profession, and why moving from other career goals to teaching can be the right decision.
Dr. Kelly Benoit-Bird, Sr. Scientist, Science Board Chair, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research; Ocean ecology, acoustics, “STEM field work,” and what it can take for a female to succeed in a male-managed situation.
Dr. Rosemary Thomas-Bohat, Director of Emergency Ultrasound, Children's National Hospital; Education paths to becoming a doctor, selecting a medical specialty, and the need to be both confident, passionate, and honest with yourself in selecting a career..
Additional feedback on the program is available at: https://www.theslhfoundation.org/impact. Descriptions of past events may be found at: https://www.theslhfoundation.org/news
Thirty-four Class 4 Fellows from seven schools in Montgomery County began their fellowships in January and will continue their interactions with STEM professionals through the next school year. Recruitment for Class 5 Fellows is expected to begin in October 2023 for high school sophomores.
For more information contact Mat Heyman at mat@theslhfoundation.org
The Sandra Lee Heyman Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in memory of Sandra Lee Heyman, a long-time mathematics teacher at the elementary, middle school, high school, and community college levels. The Foundation also sponsors an annual scholarship to recognize an outstanding mathematics student at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, MD, the school where Sandra last taught.
There are multiple ways to get involved with the Fellowship program. The Foundation welcomes expressions of interest in speaking with or mentoring our current, past, and future Fellows. Donations to the Foundation are tax deductible.