At a national level, economic projections indicate that by 2018 the U.S. will be saturated with millions of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) jobs – many of them left unfilled. Even now, the percentage of women in STEM careers is dramatically less then men in these fields. Virginia Western Community College (VWCC) in Roanoke is a forerunner in a national movement seeking to reverse this trend and help more young women get a firm footing on a path to a successful STEM career.
The VWCC Women in STEM initiative includes the Mentoring Program, a campus club, a speaker series, a campus workgroup with faculty and staff, and relationships with business partners. The initiative is focused on:
- Providing a supportive environment for women’s STEM education
- Assisting women in educational resources
- Helping facilitate career networking opportunities for women
The mentors that are paired up with students through the Women in STEM Mentoring Program are local women involved in STEM related fields. We are proud to say many of these mentors are RBTC members. Keep up the great work ladies!
Check out the videos below to learn more about this excellent initiative and view or download this resource (PDF):
