STEM Career Awareness Fellowship Program Continues to Earn Strong Positive Reviews
100% of all high school fellows in fourth graduating class recommend the fellowship program
For the fourth consecutive time, graduating Sandra Lee Heyman Foundation STEM Career Awareness Fellows gave the program very positive reviews in evaluating their experiences. Continuing the program’s perfect record, 100% of those responding to their end-of-fellowship surveys have endorsed the program.
Begun in 2020, the fellowship program designed to expand high school students’ awareness of careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has enabled 124 high school students in Montgomery County, MD, Baltimore, MD, and Washington, D.C., to learn more about STEM careers. Class 4 included 34 Fellows. Key results from the survey of Class 4 Fellows include:
100% would recommend the Fellowship experience to other students interested in STEM.
81% said that the fellowship has influenced their decision to pursue a STEM career.
The Fellows, who already professed interest in STEM, now are 15% even more interested in pursuing a STEM career than they were before beginning their fellowships.
Those results track closely with feedback from the three previous classes. In addition to citing specifics about the variety of disciplines described by speakers, Class 4 graduates cited these takeaways:
“I learned that there is no ‘traditional’ education path. Just because you may have an unconventional way or don't immediately know what you want to do, does not mean you will be any less successful in the future.”
“I was very interested in hearing about their [the speakers’] paths to the career they are now in, as it helps me understand what I should/could do in high school and in college.”
“The most important takeaway from these sessions has been the large range of flexibility that my future entails. Many of these speakers didn’t know what they were going to end up working on, but they stayed positive…and they are now all very successful. I can be very successful in my future without a ‘dream college’ or special internship. Listening to the holistic life lessons that these experts had was a very illuminating and unexpected bonus to the Sandra Lee Heyman Fellowship.”
“At no point is it too late to decide what you want to do in life. Don't stress about figuring out where you want your career to lead you because at almost any point in your life you have the freedom to shift, change, and choose careers.”
“You should prioritize your happiness in a field over the money you would get.”
“Do not dismiss any field or career right now. There are so many different niches within STEM, especially in engineering and math, that I could myself participating in later in life.”
“I heard about the guests’ experiencing setbacks and challenges, and how they overcame it. From these sessions I understood the importance of not giving up, as that is what led the speakers to success.”
“Hearing from almost all the guest speakers about how they started with one idea for a career and grew into new positions/studies of interest over the course of their careers is something that has stuck with me.”
“I’ve learned I need to take advantage of the resources that I have, such as internships. Many of the speakers didn’t know what they wanted to do at my age and didn’t have the resources that I do, yet they still are incredibly successful.”
“Take your career slowly but capitalize on the ‘happy accidents.’ ”
“Take advantage of research opportunities in college and do not limit yourself to one field. Also the importance of pursuing things you're genuinely passionate in.”
“Do well in school! It's okay not to know your passion or future completely, but whatever it is you do you must do it with love and passion. Never be shy to ask for or about opportunities.”
Fellows took part in a discussion and tour of the U.S. Capitol with a civil engineer in the Office of the Architect. They also engaged in nine other events which took place virtually, interacting 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 fellows’ three semesters, STEM professionals and topics included:
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.
Nelson Kirk, Deputy Superintendent for House Office Buildings, Office of the Architect of the U.S. Capitol: Civil engineering plus the benefits of ROTC and federal employment
Dr. Kathy Pham, Executive Director, National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee: AI careers and tips for high school, college, careers...and Life
Dr. Makeda Tekle-Smith, Assistant Professor, Columbia University: Shifting from art to chemistry and diverse career options for chemists.
Dr. Eileen Hasse, Teaching Professor, and Nair Shiker, Associate Computational Biologist, The Johns Hopkins University: Biomedical engineering,solving problems and improving healthcare.
Dr. Victor McCrary, VP of Research at the University of the District of Columbia, and Vice-Chairman of the National Science Board: Chemistry, semiconductor research, and why students should “shoot for the moon.”
Dr. Diana Li, Associate Director of Education & Training Initiatives, Columbia University’s Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute: How cellos, t-shirts, and squid all lead to neuroscience.
Dr. Ritu Raman, Associate Professor of Engineering, MIT: From India and Kenya to the US – and (Bio)Mechanical Engineering.
Jennifer Buckner, Sr. VP, Technology Risk Management and Raymond Blaine, Lead Technology Risk Analyst, Mastercard: Cybersecurity and career options in the military and industry.
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
Forty-one Class 5 Fellows – from 12 high schools in Montgomery County and Baltimore, MD, including 7 schools new to the program and a home-schooled student – began their fellowships in January and will continue interacting with STEM professionals through the next school year. Recruitment for Class 6 Fellows is expected to begin in October 2024 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 18-month long Fellowship is aimed at promising high school students who have the opportunity to meet with STEM leaders, visit prominent institutions in the Washington, D.C., area, and access peers and mentors to support career exploration in STEM fields. There are multiple ways to support the Fellowship program, and donations to the Foundation are tax deductible.