Mentorship programs are one of the fastest growing areas to encourage young people to get on the path toward STEM careers (MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, 2018). While the Museum itself has been successful in the creation of both a youth volunteer and internship program, the step has never been taken to dive deeper and further assist these students on their path towards a STEM career. In 2021 the Museum was awarded a grant from the Texas Women’s Foundation for their IF/THEN® Initiative. The initiative is designed to further women in STEM by empowering current innovators and inspiring the next generation of pioneers. Currently, the Museum has been able to utilize the program eighteen separate times for STEM Career Day, Engineers Week, Spring Break Camp, and Summer Camps, and it has seen a significant increase in student interest in STEM. This partnership and experience has set the foundation for the development of a strong network of support through the proposed STEM Leaders of the Future program.
The STEM Leaders of the Future program begins in 8th grade at the volunteering level while the internship and mentoring programs are designed for high school students and above and aim to increase STEM literacy, provide leadership and collaboration opportunities, develop interest in STEM careers, and break-down stereotypes related to STEM. Opportunities for participants will include service-learning, meeting with STEM professionals, attending STEM conferences, and working with youth in our public programming at the Museum.
Our youth volunteer program reaches students as early as 8th grade to further develop a steppingstone into the STEM Leaders of the Future program. Youth who are in their first year of high school or higher can get paid to work for the Museum as interns where they can further develop their confidence and leadership skills in the STEM world. Mentorship opportunities will be made available for students who are in their sophomore year of high school or higher and connecting with STEM professionals in their fields of interest. Students and mentors who participate in our mentorship portion of the program will receive recognition for their achievements at a STEM Leadership event.
The STEM Leaders of the Future program begins in 8th grade at the volunteering level while the internship and mentoring programs are designed for high school students and above and aim to increase STEM literacy, provide leadership and collaboration opportunities, develop interest in STEM careers, and break-down stereotypes related to STEM. Opportunities for participants will include service-learning, meeting with STEM professionals, attending STEM conferences, and working with youth in our public programming at the Museum.
Our youth volunteer program reaches students as early as 8th grade to further develop a steppingstone into the STEM Leaders of the Future program. Youth who are in their first year of high school or higher can get paid to work for the Museum as interns where they can further develop their confidence and leadership skills in the STEM world. Mentorship opportunities will be made available for students who are in their sophomore year of high school or higher and connecting with STEM professionals in their fields of interest. Students and mentors who participate in our mentorship portion of the program will receive recognition for their achievements at a STEM Leadership event.