NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, on National STEM Day, DoSomething.org— one of the largest organizations for young people and social change--has partnered with 3M, a multinational corporation operating in fields of science and healthcare, to launch STEM Works for Me, a yearlong program designed to educate young people about STEM careers. This partnership aims to bring awareness to the lack of diversity in STEM careers at a systemic level while activating youth to dismantle stereotypes and biases and create a sense of belonging in the field.
"We're collaborating with 3M to launch STEM Works for Me to educate youth about careers in STEM beyond doctors and scientists. While those are important and highly rewarding careers, many STEM careers can appeal to a larger group of students and excite the next generation of leaders," said DeNora Getachew, CEO of DoSomething.org. "Students from communities historically underrepresented in STEM are often unaware of career opportunities within STEM fields, and they don't see people in this field that 'look' like them. We're hoping to bridge that gap with this program and entice more students to consider STEM."
Many students feel discouraged from pursuing STEM careers because of the high barriers to entry. Only 15% of the scientists and engineers in the US are women, and only 20% are Black, Latinx, or Native American. According to a study by 100Kin10, STEM education has largely prioritized the work of white men while minimizing, omitting, or perpetuating harmful stereotypes about the knowledge and contributions of STEM leaders of color. Through this partnership, DoSomething aims to challenge young people's understanding of what a career in STEM looks like beyond doctors and scientists and allows them to "see" themselves represented in these fields.
DoSomething.org awards over $150,000 in scholarships annually to students. During the 2021 – 2022 academic year, students who participate in the STEM Works for Me program will qualify for a chance to win a $2,500 scholarship. DoSomething and 3M will use National STEM Day to engage STEM leaders in a conversation about overcoming barriers to entering and sharing information about advancing in science, technology, engineering, and math.
"At 3M, we're committed to nurturing the minds of young people interested in becoming the next leaders in science, technology, engineering, and math," said Michael Stroik, vice president of 3M Community Relations and 3Mgives. "Through this partnership with DoSomething.org, we aim to show young people how they can pursue their passions through a STEM field, aligned to 3M's goal of providing five million STEM and skilled trade learning experiences for underrepresented groups by 2025."
Students can help their friends find their dream STEM job by sharing more out-of-the-box career opportunities that incorporate the things they love – like a roller coaster engineer. The program invites DoSomething members to take a quiz based on their interests, and the quiz will share a career for them, such as food scientist, engineer, or green energy technician. Members are encouraged to share their results with friends and empower them to learn more. They can also promote a personalized dream STEM job through a job posting or inspire friends with a story of a real-life example of someone from an underrepresented population in their dream career. This activation will launch via Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.
"This campaign is important to me because I would like to pursue a career in STEM. Specifically, I would like to be a CRNA (nurse anesthetist). My desire is for more people to become aware of all the different career paths in STEM that there are, and for more people to become passionate about STEM careers like me," said Kiersten, 17, DoSomething Member.
To learn more, please visit www.dosomething.org/us/campaigns/stem-works-for-me.
About DoSomething.org
DoSomething.org is one of the largest organizations exclusively for young people and social change. We're activating 5 million young people (and counting!) to make positive change, online and off, in every US area code and over 131 counties. When you join DoSomething.org, you join something bigger than yourself.
About 3M
At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily as our employees connect with customers worldwide. Learn more about 3M's creative solutions to global challenges at www.3M.com or on Twitter @3M or @3MNews.
SOURCE DoSomething.org
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