Dr. Mary Bethune, a pioneering civil rights activist from Florida, is finally getting her due.
The educator, who opened a school for Black children in 1904, will be honored as the first Black woman with a statue in the United States’ Statuary Hall in Washington D.C. It follows the statue’s unveiling in her home state of Florida.
The statue of Dr. Bethune in the nation’s capital will replace a statue of a former confederate general. The iconic Statuary Hall holds two statues of renowned citizens from each state. Dr. Bethune was nominated for the honor by Florida governor Ron DeSantis.
“Dr. Bethune embodies the very best of the Sunshine State — Floridians and all Americans can take great pride in being represented by the great educator and civil rights icon,” noted US Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida, who attended the Florida unveiling.
A trailblazer, educator, an presidential advisor
Dr. Bethune, the daughter of two slaves, founded the Daytona Beach Literary and Industrial School for Training Negro Girls in 1904. The school later transitioned into Bethune-Cookman University, a Historically Black College and University. Dr. Bethune also fought on behalf of womens’ rights, campaigning for voter registration after the suffrage movement won women the right to vote in 1920.
Dr. Bethune also served as an educational advisor to five Presidents. She served as the director of the National Youth Administration’s Office of Negro Affairs under President Franklin Roosevelt, who, along with his wife Eleanor, considered her a friend.
“Dr. Bethune was an amazing trailblazer,” said Nancy Lohman, Board president of the Dr. Mary Bethune Statuary Fund, Inc, in a statement to CNN. “She fought for African American rights, women’s rights. When she saw a problem, she got involved to help create a solution.”
Click here to read the full article on The Black Wall Street Times.
Theresa Oei is a cheerleader for the New England Patriots. She’s also a Ph.D. candidate in chemical biology at Harvard University.
Kayla Rossel cheers for the San Francisco 49ers. After getting a Psy.D. in clinical psychology, she works as a psychologist specializing in eating disorders.
Tynesha McClain earned her B.S. in molecular physics and biochemistry from Yale University. She’s a food technologist who’s cheered for the Baltimore Ravens, Baltimore Blast and Chesapeake Bayhawks.
Cheerleaders who are STEAM professionals?
It bucks stereotypes, but guess what? It’s the norm.
There are Science Cheerleaders on every NFL and NBA team that employs cheerleaders.
These multi-skilled women are the heart and soul of Science Cheerleaders, Inc., a national nonprofit organization of current and former professional and collegiate cheerleaders pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, the arts and math.
“Almost every time a girl realizes that I am an engineer and former pro-cheerleader, I can see the light bulb going off in their minds. I know the moment they all of a sudden believe in themselves that maybe one day, they can be a scientist or engineer and also a cheerleader, and it’s one of the most rewarding feelings,” said Dr. Wendy Brown, Ph.D., director of outreach for Science Cheerleaders.
Brown teams with company founder Darlene Cavalier, who co-authored The Field Guide to Citizen Science, and Samantha Marsillo, director of operations, as top-tier leaders.
High Kicking the Stereotype
The concept: Science Cheerleaders playfully challenges stereotypes about cheerleaders and women in STEAM. The organization aims to connect with the nation’s four million youth cheerleaders through a shared interest in cheerleading while changing perceptions about who scientists are, what they do and who can pursue careers in STEAM.
Leveraging the popularity of sports and cheerleading, Science Cheerleaders reaches not only girls but also their families and sports fans. Some teams, such as the San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons and Washington Commanders, feature dozens of cheerleaders pursuing STEAM careers.
Science Cheerleaders facilitates in-person and online events, where cheerleaders perform STEAM-themed choreographed routines, lead hands-on science activities, hold meet and greets, autograph trading cards featuring their STEAM and cheer stats and host cheer workshops. Events range from small, rural locations to nationwide events, such as performing at halftime during a Philadelphia 76ers game and at the USA Science and Engineering Festival in Washington, D.C.
Brown was one of the lead researchers for Project MERCCURI (Microbial Ecology Research Connecting Citizen and University Researchers on the ISS). Her team enlisted the help of 4,000 cheerleaders and sports fans to swab shoes and cell phones for microbes at games and other Science Cheerleader events. This was part of a research and citizen science project to learn if and how microbes grow differently in microgravity than on Earth, which is important to understand for long-duration human spaceflight.
Those microbes were analyzed by UC Davis, and 48 samples were launched on a Space X rocket to the International Space Station. In a delightful surprise, a Pop Warner cheerleading team discovered a previously unknown species of microbe while working on the project.
Science Cheerleaders on cover of Diversity in STEAM Magazine. Click cover to view!
Science Cheerleaders, which also works with Girl Scouts across the country, created a special cheer for Scouts:
“We organized a massive Cheer for Science at the USA Science & Engineering Festival, where representatives from the U.S. Geological Service were present to take seismic readings during the cheer, while hundreds of classrooms across the country performed the cheer and used sensors to measure seismic activity,” said Cavalier. “While that was designed for fun, all of those classrooms became part of a long-term study with USGS to monitor tremors for years to come.”
Both science and cheerleading are becoming more inclusive and diverse, not only onboarding women but ethnic minorities. But the progress is slow.
Women make up 27 percent of STEAM workers in the country, up from eight percent in 1970, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Forty-eight percent of workers in the life sciences are women, but only about 15 percent are engineers.
African-Americans comprise nine percent of workers in STEAM; Hispanics are at eight percent, according to the STEM Education Guide.
Said Science Cheerleader McClain: “Diversity has grown leaps and bounds in cheerleading and STEAM. It’s refreshing to see so much representation in these areas. I’m envious of the youth today, as I wish I had that type of exposure when I was growing up.”
Science Cheerleader Rossel concurs. “As an African-American woman, it makes me happy to see that more cheerleading teams are celebrating young Black women’s natural and cultural hairstyles,” she said. “It’s very important for young girls to see diversity and to be able to identify with cheerleaders who have similar hair textures and styles. In terms of diversity in STEAM, some STEAM fields are more diverse than others.”
‘I Knew I Could Do Both!’
So, what’s next for the nonprofit?
“COVID put a pause on all in-person activities, but we look forward to re-activating programs in 2023, including performances at the USA Science and Engineering Festival in Washington, D.C.; performances at Girl Day at University of Texas, Austin; performances and meet-and-greets at the Pop Warner Cheer & Dance National Championships in Florida and at the Super Bowl in Arizona,” said Brown. “In addition, we are in the process of coordinating appearances scheduled to take place at many science festivals across the country. We’ve applied to be part of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which will be such an honor for us.”
For many Science Cheerleaders, the best part of the job is seeing the reaction of young people.
“Surprisingly, girls sometimes react with something akin to, ‘I knew I could do both!’ I absolutely love serving as an example that affirms girls’ interests in science and cheerleading,” Brown said.
Marsillo added, “So many girls give up one passion for the other, and we’re here to show them that they don’t ever have to make that sacrifice.”
Just about every career in the STEM field requires some form of university-level education. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to spend every penny you own and then some to pursue your dream job.
Whether it’s through federal funding, non-profit organizations or individual donations, there are tons of scholarship and grant opportunities for students wanting to pursue the world of STEM.
Here are just a few of the scholarships that you can apply for:
The Society of Women Engineers Scholarship
Since World War II, the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) has been doing all they can to support the needs of women engineers across the country. One of the ways they do this is through the SWE Scholarship Program, which provides varying fund amounts to those identifying as women and studying in undergraduate or graduate programs in the STEM field. While the specific amount you can receive varies, the program gave away over $1,220,000 in scholarships in 2021 alone. All students, from incoming freshman to graduate students, may apply but freshman must fill out a separate application form.
Amount: Varies
Number of Scholarships Given: Varies
Application Dates: Applications usually often in December for upperclassman and the following March for freshman
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronauts Scholarships
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronauts (AAIA) is an organization dedicated to supporting the future generation of people interested in the aerospace field. One of the ways they do this is through their scholarship program, where undergraduates and graduates alike can fill out a single application and be eligible for consideration for up to three scholarships from their program. To apply, you must be at least a sophomore in college and a member of AAIA.
The USDA/1890 National Scholars Program is a partnership between USDA and the 1890 historically Black land-grant colleges and universities. The program provides full tuition, employment, employee benefits, fees, books and room and board each year for up to four years for selected students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in agriculture, food science, natural resource science or a related academic discipline at one of 19 designated 1890s land-grant colleges and universities. The scholarship may be renewed each year, contingent upon satisfactory academic performance and normal progress toward the bachelor’s degree. Scholars accepted into the program will be eligible for noncompetitive conversion to a permanent appointment with USDA upon successful completion of their degree requirements by the end of the agreement period.
Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART)
In a collaboration with American Society for Engineering Education and the Department of Defense, the Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) program is for students wanting to go into engineering, biosciences, chemical engineering, civil engineering, chemistry and cognitive, neural and behavioral sciences. In addition to full tuition coverage, SMART students will receive health insurance, mentoring, internship opportunities and a guaranteed job offer from the Department of Defense. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA, be available for summer internships and are expected to accept the job position offered to them upon completing their education.
NOAA Office of Education’s student scholarship programs provide opportunities for undergraduate students to gain hands-on experience while pursuing research and educational training in NOAA-mission sciences. The Hollings and EPP/MSI Undergraduate Scholarship share a common application and students who are eligible for both programs are encouraged to apply to both. To be eligible, you must be a sophomore at a four-year university program, a junior at a five-year university program or a community college student transferring to a university.
Amount: $9,500 per academic year plus paid summer internship opportunities
Number of Scholarships Given: Varies
Application Dates: Opens October 2022/Closes January 2023
Recognizing that financial aid alone cannot increase retention and graduation in STEM, the National Science Foundation (NSF) founded the S-STEM Program, a fund that provides awards to institutions of higher education (IHEs) to fund scholarships and to adapt, implement and study evidence-based curricular and co-curricular activities that have been shown to be effective in supporting recruitment, retention, transfer (if appropriate), student success, academic/career pathways and graduation in STEM. While most of the students who receive this award are studying an area of the STEM field, proposals can be made for funds to be given to students who meet the same qualifications, but are studying a high-demand industry. The amounts distributed depend on the institution.
A lot has changed for women in the world since the first International Women’s Day in 1911. From voting rights and gaining political leadership roles to simply igniting change for the better, March 8th has been used to celebrate the bravery, creativity, tribulations and successes of women around the world. For 2023, International Women’s Day is shining a spotlight on equity with their theme, #EmbraceEquity. While there has been tremendous progress in the rights of women, there is still a lot of work to be done to ensure an equitable world for all people, regardless of gender identity. This International Women’s Day, we are taking a look at some ways that we can honor and celebrate women, as well as advocate for a more equitable world.
Support the Organizations that Support Women
There are numerous organizations, activists’ networks and charity groups that exist to support women on a global scale. Whether it’s making a donation, volunteering or simply educating yourselves on global issues, consider supporting one of the following groups this International Women’s Day:
The Association for Women’s Rights in Development: An international support organization dedicated to achieving gender equality, sustainable development and women’s human rights. The organization also specializes in educational rights, policy change and developing professionals.
UN Women: A subgroup of the United Nations, UN Women is dedicated to advocating for the rights of women and girls on an array of issues, from gender equality and women empowerment to ending violent acts against women.
The Women’s Refugee Commission: A non-governmental organization dedicated to improving and protecting the lives of women and children in areas of conflict or crisis.
Womankind Worldwide: A global women’s rights organization that partners with women’s movements in Africa and Asia to support them in their efforts to change discriminatory laws and policies, challenge gender norms and stereotypes, and provide transformative programs and services to women and girls.
Partners in Health: A non-profit organization that partners with local governments to provide healthcare to some of the world’s poorest countries. While they work to support people of all races, genders and identities, they have specialty programs that are working to reduce the growing maternal mortality rates in countries such as Sierra Leone.
Educate Yourself on Women Activists from Around the World
When we think about women activists, it’s easy to limit ourselves to only recognizing the accomplishment of women in the United States, when in reality there have been women all over the world who have changed how we live our everyday life. Take the time to visit your local library, listen to podcasts or even take a deep dive on the internet to learn about the different women and issues from around the world who are igniting change for people everywhere.
If you’re not sure where to start, try the following resources:
I am Malala: The autobiographical story of Malala Yousafzai, one of the biggest advocates for women and girls’ education in Pakistan and the world.
Call Your Girlfriend: A podcast hosted by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman that discusses women and feminism through the eyes of pop culture, politics and interviews with women activists.
Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise: A documentary about Maya Angelou, an author and activist that wrote poetry, essays, books and plays that speak about identity, race, gender and equality.
Codename:Butterflies: A documentary about the Mirabel sisters of the Dominican Republic, three activists who opposed the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo and his regime of violence.
Mighty Be Our Powers: How Sisterhood, Prayer, and Sex Changed a Nation at War: An autobiographical story about Leymah Gbowee, a Liberian peace activist who helped end the Second Liberian Civil War.
Include Everyone in the Conversation
The best way to ignite change, raise awareness and build compassion amongst others is to create meaningful conversation. March 8th may be International Women’s Day, but that doesn’t mean the conversation on important women and women’s rights should be exclusive to one gender. Get together with your family members and friends of diverse genders and backgrounds and talk about the important women in your life, how your experiences may differ and the ways in which you can support and understand one another. This not only allows your group to reflect on the positive change that has already happened, but can spark conversations that educate and inspire new ideas for the future.
Support Women-Owned Businesses
Supporting small businesses is one of the best ways that you can stimulate the economy while supporting your community. There are thousands of women-owned businesses in just about every industry you can think of, so why not utilize one of them to celebrate International Women’s Day? This March, try replacing one of your normal purchases with a purchase from a women-owned business. Whether you’re looking to grab lunch with a friend, find a new bathing suit for the summer or plan your next event, there is a woman-owned business that can fulfill just about any need you may have.
Sources: International Women’s Day, Wikipedia, Workflow MAX
The U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid provides around $112 billion in federal student aid annually. Yet Student Aid’s FY 2021 Annual Report found that only about 61% of high school students applied for financial aid.
Here are the top 14 myths about student aid, debunked:
Myth 1: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form costs money.
FACT: Nope! The FAFSA form is free. The quickest and best way to fill it out is on fafsa.gov. Don’t complete your FAFSA form on websites that charge fees.
Myth 2: My family’s income is too high for me to qualify for financial aid.
FACT: That’s one of the most common financial aid myths, but there’s no income cutoff. Most people qualify for some type of financial aid, which range from grants and scholarships to loans and work-study programs. Many factors besides income — such as your family size and your year in school — are considered to create your financial aid package.
When you submit the FAFSA form, you’re also automatically applying for state funds and possibly financial aid from your school, including grants and scholarships. In fact, some schools won’t even consider you for their scholarships (including academic scholarships) until you’ve submitted a FAFSA form. And you can’t know how much financial aid you’ll get until you fill it out.
Myth 3: The FAFSA form is really hard to fill out.
FACT: Most people can complete their first FAFSA form in less than an hour. If it’s a renewal or you’re an independent student who doesn’t need to provide parents’ information, it can take even less time. Online, you’re asked only the questions relevant to you. And if you’ve filed your taxes, you can transfer your tax return data into your FAFSA form automatically.
Myth 4: I’m not eligible for financial aid because of my ethnicity or age.
FACT: Absolutely not. While schools have their own eligibility requirements, federal student aid eligibility requirements do not exclude based on ethnicity or age.
Myth 5: The FAFSA form is only for federal student loans.
FACT: Not at all. In fact, the FAFSA form is one of the most widely used tools to access student aid: one application for multiple types of funding. When you complete the FAFSA form, you’re automatically applying for everything from grants and scholarships to work-study funds and loans from federal, state, and school sources. States and schools can also determine scholarships and grants using your FAFSA information. And the funding can be substantial.
Myth 6: The FAFSA form kicks off on Jan. 1, and you have to submit it by June.
FACT: Nope! You have more time than you think. The FAFSA form is available on Oct. 1 for the next school year and there are three FAFSA deadlines: federal, state, and school. But the sooner you submit your FAFSA form, the more likely you are to get aid.
Remember, too, that when you submit the FAFSA form, you’re also automatically applying for grants, scholarships and loans from states and schools, which may have earlier deadlines than the federal deadline. If you’re applying to multiple schools, check their deadlines and apply by the earliest one.
Myth 7: I need to file my 2022 taxes before completing the FAFSA form.
FACT: No, you’ll use your 2021 tax information to apply for student aid for the 2023-24 award year. You do not need to update your FAFSA form after filing your 2022 taxes because only the 2021 information is required. If your financial situation has changed in the last year, you should still complete the FAFSA form with the 2021 information, submit your FAFSA form and contact the financial aid office at the school you plan to attend to discuss how your financial situation has changed.
Myth 8: You have to have good grades to get a financial aid package.
FACT: Applying for admission into school is different from applying for financial aid. Good grades may help with academic scholarships, but most federal student aid programs don’t consider grades for your first FAFSA form. In subsequent years, you’ll have to meet certain academic standards defined by your school (also known as satisfactory academic progress) to continue receiving financial aid.
Myth 9: Since I’m self-supporting, I don’t have to include my parents on the FAFSA form.
FACT: Not necessarily. You need to know how the FAFSA form defines a dependent student. The form asks questions to determine your dependency status. You’ll also need to learn who is defined as a parent for FAFSA purposes. Requirements for being considered an independent student go beyond living on your own and supporting yourself.
Myth 10: I should not fill out the FAFSA form until I’m accepted to school.
FACT: That’s another widespread FAFSA misconception. Do it as soon as possible. To receive your information, the FAFSA form requires you to list at least one school, but you should list any schools you’re thinking about, even if you haven’t applied or been accepted. And don’t worry ― schools can see only their own information; they will not be able to see other schools on your FAFSA form.
Myth 11: I only need to submit the FAFSA form once.
FACT: You have to fill out the FAFSA form every year you’re in school to stay eligible for federal student aid, but filling out the renewal FAFSA form takes less time.
Myth 12: I should contact the U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid to find out how much financial aid I’m getting and when.
FACT: No, the financial aid office at your school is the source for that information. The U.S. Department of Education’s office does not award or disburse your aid. Remember — each school awards financial aid on its own schedule.
Myth 13: The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is the amount you have to pay for school.
FACT: The EFC is not the amount of money your family will have to pay for college, and it is not the amount of federal student aid you will receive. The EFC is a number your school uses to calculate how much financial aid you are eligible to receive. Other factors ― the largest being the cost of your school ― contribute to determining both the amount and type of aid you receive.
Myth 14: I can share my FSA ID with my parent(s).
FACT: Nope. If you’re a dependent student, you will need your own FSA ID to sign your FAFSA form online, and so will one of your parents. An FSA ID is an account username and password that you use to log in to certain U.S. Department of Education websites. If you share your FSA ID, you’re risking identity theft and your FAFSA form could be delayed.
Just about every career in the STEM field requires some form of university-level education.
However, this doesn’t mean that you have to spend every penny you own and then some to pursue your dream job.
Whether it’s through federal funding, non-profit organizations or individual donations, there are tons of scholarship and grant opportunities for students wanting to pursue the world of STEM.
Here are just a few of the scholarships that you can apply for:
The Society of Women Engineers Scholarship
Since World War II, the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) has been doing all they can to support the needs of women engineers across the country. One of the ways they do this is through the SWE Scholarship Program, which provides varying fund amounts to those identifying as women and studying in undergraduate or graduate programs in the STEM field. While the specific amount you can receive varies, the program gave away over $1,220,000 in scholarships in 2021 alone. All students, from incoming freshman to graduate students, may apply but freshman must fill out a separate application form.
Amount: Varies
Number of Scholarships Given: Varies
Application Dates: Applications usually often in December for upperclassman and the following March for freshman
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronauts Scholarships
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronauts (AAIA) is an organization dedicated to supporting the future generation of people interested in the aerospace field. One of the ways they do this is through their scholarship program, where undergraduates and graduates alike can fill out a single application and be eligible for consideration for up to three scholarships from their program. To apply, you must be at least a sophomore in college and a member of AAIA.
The USDA/1890 National Scholars Program is a partnership between USDA and the 1890 historically Black land-grant colleges and universities. The program provides full tuition, employment, employee benefits, fees, books and room and board each year for up to four years for selected students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in agriculture, food science, natural resource science or a related academic discipline at one of 19 designated 1890s land-grant colleges and universities. The scholarship may be renewed each year, contingent upon satisfactory academic performance and normal progress toward the bachelor’s degree. Scholars accepted into the program will be eligible for noncompetitive conversion to a permanent appointment with USDA upon successful completion of their degree requirements by the end of the agreement period.
Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART)
In a collaboration with American Society for Engineering Education and the Department of Defense, the Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) program is for students wanting to go into engineering, biosciences, chemical engineering, civil engineering, chemistry and cognitive, neural and behavioral sciences. In addition to full tuition coverage, SMART students will receive health insurance, mentoring, internship opportunities and a guaranteed job offer from the Department of Defense. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA, be available for summer internships and are expected to accept the job position offered to them upon completing their education.
NOAA Office of Education’s student scholarship programs provide opportunities for undergraduate students to gain hands-on experience while pursuing research and educational training in NOAA-mission sciences. The Hollings and EPP/MSI Undergraduate Scholarship share a common application and students who are eligible for both programs are encouraged to apply to both. To be eligible, you must be a sophomore at a four-year university program, a junior at a five-year university program or a community college student transferring to a university.
Amount: $9,500 per academic year plus paid summer internship opportunities
Number of Scholarships Given: Varies
Application Dates: Opens October 2022/Closes January 2023
Recognizing that financial aid alone cannot increase retention and graduation in STEM, the National Science Foundation (NSF) founded the S-STEM Program, a fund that provides awards to institutions of higher education (IHEs) to fund scholarships and to adapt, implement and study evidence-based curricular and co-curricular activities that have been shown to be effective in supporting recruitment, retention, transfer (if appropriate), student success, academic/career pathways and graduation in STEM. While most of the students who receive this award are studying an area of the STEM field, proposals can be made for funds to be given to students who meet the same qualifications, but are studying a high-demand industry. The amounts distributed depend on the institution.
October 11-13, 2022, marked the American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity’s (AAAED) 48th annual national conference. This year’s virtual conference theme was “Building an Infrastructure for Sustainable and Equitable Change” and participants were able to reflect on this call to action through workshops, keynote addresses, plenary sessions, express talks and networking events.
The conference commenced with an introduction by Shirly Wilcher (Executive Director for AAAED), Jerry Knighton, Jr. (AAAED Conference Chair) and Dr. Annette Butler, (AAAED President). The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Director, Jenny Yang, provided the first plenary session, where she discussed the latest corporate scheduling announcement list, recent directives regarding pay and the agency’s role in building infrastructure for equitable and sustainable change.
Other plenary sessions featured the Office of Civil Rights Assistant Secretary Catherine E. Lhamon, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Vice Chair Jocelyn Samuels and the Office of Disability Employment Policy Assistant Secretary Taryn M. Williams. They spoke of their agency’s recent accomplishments, provided timely updates and shared reflections on the conference theme.
The keynote speakers supplemented these updates with innovative ideas for promoting change. In “Technology-driven DEI Programs: How Technology is Increasing the Impact,” Dr. Christopher Metzler (LEAD Fund President; SVP, DEI and ESG, The National Urban League) explored how companies can use virtual reality to provide impactful training. The following day, Millicent St. Claire (LIGMO Institute) introduced healthy approaches for addressing stressful encounters and eliminating their negative impact on productivity, relationships and business outcomes in “Maintaining Resiliency While Walking the Line.”
Celebrating Title IX’s anniversary, the conference featured sessions on remediating prejudice in investigations and the future applications of Title IX. Building inclusive practices for individuals with disabilities was another common theme, with presentations on service animals, support for mental health in college communities and dispelling fears and stigmas about talented workers with disabilities. Through additional workshops and express talks, attendees learned best practices in areas such as artificial intelligence and hiring, electronic postings, online applications and data discrepancy checks for affirmative action plans.
The final day featured a panel discussion regarding the impending Supreme Court decision on affirmative action. The panel was moderated by Dr. Jamal Watson (Editor, Diverse Issues in Higher Education) and featured Carol Ashley (Attorney at Law, Jackson Lewis P.C.), David Hinojosa (Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; Director, Education Opportunities
Project), and Theodore Shaw (Center for Civil Rights, Julius L. Chambers Distinguished Professor of Law, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill).
The conference closed with the presentation of awards:
Cesar Estrada Chavez Award: Margaret Huang, president and CEO of the Southern Poverty Law Center
Roosevelt Thomas Champion of Diversity Award: L2 Defense, Inc.
As the longest-standing national civil rights organization comprised of professionals working in affirmative action, equal opportunity and diversity programs, AAAED is excitedly looking forward towards next year’s event and our 50th anniversary conference in 2024! For more information about how to join and upcoming events, please visit AAAED.org
National Scholarship Month, sponsored by the National Scholarship Providers Association (NSPA), is a national campaign designed to raise awareness of the vital role scholarships play in reducing student loan debt and expanding access to higher education.
To celebrate, the National Scholarship Providers Association (NSPA) has announced the launch of the NSPA Exchange – the first and only scholarship metric database.
Thanks to a partnership with the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, the NSPA Exchange was created to serve as a central access point for scholarship provider data. Currently, the database is home to metrics from over 1,300 organizations, allowing members to search details about peer providers by location, compare scholarship award amounts, eligibility criteria, program staff size, and more. All information is kept in a secure, cloud-based, centralized database maintained through a custom administration system.
“Our goal for the NSPA Exchange is to ultimately define best practices and industry standards for scholarship providers.” says Nicolette del Muro, Senior Director, Membership and Strategic Initiatives at NSPA.
“With this database, members now have the data they need to make strategic decisions. For example, of the over 15,000 scholarships in the Exchange database, the average application is open for 90 days. And 75% of these scholarships open in the months of November, December, and January. This offers applicants a relatively short window of time to apply for all scholarships. Insight like this could help a provider determine to open their application outside of the busy season or encourage them to make their scholarship criteria and requirements available online in advance of the application open date.”
“The NSPA Exchange is a great resource for IOScholarships as the information is constantly updated and enables members to review and update their own organization’s scholarship data”, said María Fernanda Trochimezuk, Founder of IOScholarships and Individual Affiliate Member at NSPA. “IOScholarships also uses scholarships from the Exchange in our own Scholarship Search, and we trust these scholarships are safe for students, vetted, and current offerings.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP PROVIDERS ASSOCIATION (NSPA)
The mission of the National Scholarship Providers Association is to advance the collective impact of scholarship providers and the scholarships they award. Currently serving over 2,000 individuals, they are dedicated to supporting the needs of professionals administering scholarships in colleges and universities, non-profit, foundations and businesses. Membership in the NSPA provides access to networking opportunities, professional development, and scholarship program resources.
ABOUT IOSCHOLARSHIPS
By conducting a free scholarship search at IOScholarships.com, STEM minority and underrepresented students gain access to a database of thousands of STEM scholarships worth over $48 million. We then narrow this vast array of financial aid opportunities down to a manageable list of scholarships for which students actually qualify, based on the information they provide in their IOScholarships.com profile. They can then review their search results, mark their favorites, and sort their list by deadline, dollar amount and other criteria. We also offer a scholarship organizer which is completely free to use, just like our scholarship search. There are scholarships out there for diverse students in STEM. So take advantage of National Scholarship Month and search for available scholarships today!
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, business school applications are booming. MBA providers have been grappling with record numbers and increasing class sizes to accommodate a rush of executives seeking to improve their management credentials.
However, the gender divide persists. Demand among men for MBA places has been much stronger than among women, raising concerns that years of progress towards greater inclusion in business education is at risk of regressing.
(Image Credit – Financial Times)
The Forté Foundation, which lobbies for gender equality in education, found last year that the proportion of women enrolled in MBAs at their 52 member schools remained unchanged compared with 2019. Although almost half of schools managed to break the 40 per cent barrier in 2020, improvements in female representation across the membership had stalled. Female enrolment in full-time business programmes had been inching up in recent years as admissions teams promoted female alumni, and schools offered scholarships specifically for women and targeted sectors where women hold more of the management roles.
Female enrolment in full-time business programmes had been inching up in recent years as admissions teams promoted female alumni, and schools offered scholarships specifically for women and targeted sectors where women hold more of the management roles.
When Forté was formed in 2001, it calculated that less than 28 per cent of MBA students in the US were women. A third of full-time MBA students at member schools were women in the autumn of 2013 and that rose to nearly 39 per cent of the group in 2019.
“There is a concern that the progress that has been made will go into reverse,” Elissa Sangster, Forté’s chief executive, says. “Concern has been higher among women about returning to full-time study during a pandemic, given that the jobs market may be far harder after graduation,” she says. The financial risk is often the biggest factor for female MBA applicants, she adds, and suggests the most effective change schools can make is cutting the price tag for those considering a return to formal education.
“How to Apply for Higher Education Careers – Revised Edition” is a free ebook for anyone interested in getting a job in higher education.
If you’re starting your career or considering a career change, this ebook dives into what’s needed to apply for higher ed jobs: understanding the difference between a curriculum vitae and a resume, drafting a career-change resume, and checking if your resume can pass the 10-second test. The revised edition includes cover letter writing tips and candid advice from higher ed professionals, including representatives in HR and recruiting.
Download the ebook for strategies to tackle that crucial early step of putting yourself out there to secure your ideal job in higher ed.
Although women make up about half of the U.S. workforce, they have long been underrepresented in many STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math).
Given that boys and girls perform similarly in STEM, this means a lot of STEM talent is being left untapped. Until we are successful at including diverse women and girls in STEM, we will be unable to address STEM labor shortages or stay globally competitive in research and development.
Our failure to include all available STEM talent in our workforce is even more dire for women of color. For example, Hispanic women represent 7 percent of the total U.S. workforce, but just 2 percent of STEM workers.
Various efforts have attempted to address these gender gaps in the last few decades, including the creation of STEM toys targeted at girls, large-scale research efforts, government funding, and afterschool programming. Despite this, the gaps haven’t narrowed as quickly as needed. In a 2022 review in the journal Social Issues and Policy Review, Drs. Sophie Kuchynka, Luis Rivera, and I explore (1) why these gaps persist and (2) ways to bridge them in K-12 education through policy and practice.
Why Do Gender Gaps in STEM Persist?
Features of the systems we live in and of our own social and psychological functioning serve to keep gender gaps in STEM alive.
1. Macrosystem influences.
Macrosystems, like our educational, economic, and justice systems, uphold gender stereotypes about the superiority of boys and men in STEM. STEM textbooks, for example, disproportionately portray male role models in STEM, sending the message that STEM is for boys. Further, system-justifying myths perpetuated in the media, such as the protestant work ethic and the myth of meritocracy, lead people to believe that the representation of men vs. women in STEM is just, and a result of differences in interest, aptitude, or hard work.
2. Microsystem influences.
The macrosystems we live in influence the smaller social systems closer to us (microsystems), like our families, schools, and peer groups. They also affect our individual psychology—how we see, interpret, and act on our social worlds.
Being raised in a world where STEM is associated with boys and men may implicitly lead parents to use less scientific language with daughters compared to sons, for example. It can also affect the amount of air time boys vs. girls get to work out their ideas in STEM classrooms. Eventually, these messages can be internalized by girls, negatively affecting their STEM self-image, interest, and participation.
How to Improve STEM Education for Everyone
Based on our review of macrosystem and microsystem factors that sustain gender-STEM inequities, we make several recommendations for K-12 STEM policy and practice to optimize success for all children.
In terms of practice, we recommend:
Classrooms be designed to promote relational and collaborative learning. Teachers should emphasize gender-inclusive classroom norms that promote positive working relations between girls and boys.
Classes should teach the history of gender inequality and bias so teachers and students can actively work to create equitable and inclusive STEM environments.
Teachers should encourage cooperation between children, and vary the roles students are assigned so they do not automatically adopt traditional gender roles in the classroom.
Teachers should promote active learning and growth mindset strategies. Cross-discipline evidence indicates that active learning, rooted in constructivist theories, is more beneficial in STEM education.
STEM should be reframed as helping students achieve communal goals through scientific collaboration. Emphasizing socially-meaningful aspects of STEM can help stimulate STEM interest in girls, because they tend to place more value on communal than dominance goals.
Classes can utilize near-peer mentorship programs, which pair students with similar mentors slightly more advanced than them. These near-peer mentors can be especially important for marginalized students who often feel isolated or excluded in STEM.
Schools should expand STEM evaluation metrics beyond traditional and standardized tests to include the assessment of skills like motivation, empathy, problem-solving, and adaptability, which are closely tied to positive educational outcomes.
Click here to read the full article on Psychology Today.
