Over the past four decades, there has been a drive to get more women involved in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) fields. Pursuing a career in STEM can offer a wealth of job opportunities, competitive salaries, potential for growth, and flexibility, among other benefits. For women to attain a career in STEM, it’s important that their interest in these subjects is cultivated during middle school or earlier.
Girls Still Lag Behind Boys When It Comes to STEM
A recent study from Gallup revealed that 85% of Gen Z males (those born between 1997 and 2011) say they’re interested in at least one sector of STEM, compared to only 63% of females. Even more striking was the survey’s finding that 57% of Gen Z females surveyed felt that they would not be good at STEM, compared to a much lower 38% of males. This research shows that more can be done to engage and excite girls about careers in STEM, and to boost their confidence so they feel capable of undertaking this line of study.
The Importance of Exposure at a Young Age
The first step in getting more girls excited about a career in STEM is exposure in the early school years. “The extent to which young people say, ‘I want to pursue STEM in college as a major or as a career,’ has a lot to do with what’s going on in the classroom in K-12,” shared Gallup education researcher Zach Hrynowski in a recent CNN article.
Unfortunately, middle and high school girls feel that they are exposed to fewer STEM topics than their male counterparts, according to the Gallup survey. The survey researchers estimate that this is likely due to girls being less inclined to participate in STEM coursework or extracurricular activities. That is where organizations like Girls Inc. Greater Lowell , Girls Inc. Worcester, Mother Caroline Academy, Our Sisters’ School, and Esperanza Academy step in. These grantee partners of the Women’s Foundation of Boston are working to increase girls’ STEM exposure with a focus on fostering confidence and interest when it comes to learning. Their programming reaches girls at a pivotal age. Through their work, girls can see the potential in pursuing STEM coursework and WFBoston, whose mission is to economically empower women and girls, has awarded these organizations multi-year grants to expand their efforts.
Girls Inc. Is Working to Increase Interest and Nurture Skills
Girls Inc. of Greater Lowell and Girls Inc. of Worcester inspire girls to be strong, smart, and bold through creative programs in a safe, nurturing environment. They work with at-risk girls to attain critical skills and increase interest in a variety of topics including math, science, and technology. In 2022, WFBoston awarded Girls Inc. of Greater Lowell a three-year grant to fund a year-round STEM curriculum for 120 middle school girls. This curriculum is a springboard for Girls Inc. to offer the successful Eureka! program (a year-round, five-year STEM intensive curriculum for girls grades 8-12) in the future. Girls Inc. of Worcester received a five-year WFBoston grant to expand their Eureka! and Eureka! JV programs for girls in grades 6-12 in Framingham.
MCS’s STEAM Program Fosters Critical Thinking and Creativity
Mother Caroline Academy (MCA) is a private, tuition-free school for girls in grades 3-8 from limited financial means. The school serves students of all faiths, races, and cultures from Boston neighborhoods. In 2023, WFBoston awarded a three-year $219,000 grant to strengthen MCA’s STEAM program by funding a coding teacher, a part-time makerspace teacher, and the costs associated with a week-long internship program at Boston Children’s Hospital. Past WFBoston grants have supported MCA’s efforts to expand enrollment, which will provide more girls exposure to STEM!
Our Sisters’ School Provides Hands-on Learning Experiences
Our Sisters’ School (OSS) is a private, tuition-free, nonsectarian middle school for girls from low-income communities in Greater New Bedford. WFBoston is in its third year of a multi-year grant OSS used to hire a new science teacher, augment their STEAM curriculum, and enhance their outdoor greenhouse classroom. One of the early projects WFBoston supported was building the greenhouse which has offered girls numerous hands-on STEM learning opportunities. With WFBoston grants, OSS has been able to incorporate more STEAM-related activities and lessons giving girls real-world experience.
Esperanza Academy Is Breaking Down Stereotypes with STEM Curriculum
In 2023, WFBoston awarded Esperanza Academy a grant to fund a second science teacher at the Academy. The Academy, a tuition-free, independent middle school for girls, embraces students’ identities and learning needs. Their curriculum works to develop problem-solving abilities and curiosity, while breaking down stereotypes of women and people of color in math and other STEM subjects. With WFBoston funding, Esperanza Academy will have the ability to offer a more robust STEM program with expanded instruction.
Supporting STEM Programming Can Have an Overarching Impact
The Gallup and Walton Family Foundation report concluded that increasing the number of women in STEM fields would help reduce the gender pay gap, as well as strengthen the economy. But this can only happen if organizations like Mother Caroline Academy, Our Sisters’ School, Esperanza Academy, Girls Inc. of Greater Lowell, and Girls Inc. of Worcester can continue to build their STEM programming. A donation to WFBoston will help these organizations reach more girls to affect tangible change. Give today to ensure that women and girls have the tools they need to succeed in STEM and beyond.
Linda Henry is the CEO of the Boston Globe Media Partners. She is a co-founder of HUBweek, a civic collaboration between the Boston Globe, Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital, and MIT that explores the future being built at the intersection of art, science and technology. Linda is also an early-stage impact investor, an Emmy-Award winning television producer with two shows currently airing, and a community activist. She serves as a director of the Red Sox Foundation, is a trustee of the Liverpool Football Club Foundation, chair of the Boston Globe Foundation, and chairman of the John W. Henry Family Foundation. In addition, she is a founder of the Boston Public Market, serves on the advisory board of MassChallenge, and is on the board of the Engine at MIT. She earned a BS from Babson College and her MS from MIT.
Laurie H. Glimcher, MD, was named President and CEO of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in 2016. She is also Director of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and the Richard and Susan Smith Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Previously, she was the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean and Professor of Medicine of Weill Cornell Medicine and Provost for Medical Affairs of Cornell University. Dr. Glimcher is a distinguished immunologist, widely renowned for her work in one of the most promising areas of cancer research.
Bekah Salwasser joined the Red Sox Foundation as the Executive Director in January of 2018. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from Brown University and has extensive experience in philanthropy and both professional and semi-professional sports. After four years working as Community Relations Director for the Boston Celtics, Bekah went on to lead Scholar Athletes as its Executive Director, a program that supports public high school athletes with both their athletic and academic achievements. Earlier in her career, Bekah served as a professional soccer player for the Boston Breakers and as Executive Director of the Charlestown Lacrosse and Learning Center.
Kimberly Fay Boucher is a business executive who has driven high performance organizations in technology, consumer products and social enterprise/nonprofit industries over the past 25 years. She is currently the Technology Commercialization Business Leader for the CTO at Analog Devices, where she is responsible for driving new technologies from incubation stages to successful businesses. Kim is also a Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, where she teaches Disciplined Entrepreneurship in the Martin Trust Center. She holds a BS in Management Industrial Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She is a NCAA Academic All-American Women’s Basketball player and has been inducted into the WPI Hall of Fame.
Ami Kuan Danoff (Co-Founder and CFO) is a private investor and the trustee of a foundation. She is a Harvard Quantum Founder and a member of the Harvard FAS Dean’s Council. Ami earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University in Visual and Environmental Studies and holds a dual master’s degree in Applied Economics and International Finance from the Sloan School of Management at MIT. She was a portfolio manager in global equities at Putnam Investments and co-manager of the Putnam International New Opportunities Fund, and also worked as an international equities analyst at Fidelity Investments.
Christina Heenan Suh holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania in English and Marketing and a master’s from Columbia University. A former management consultant, her work focused on strategy and implementation projects for Fortune 100 clients. She was also an account executive at Hill+Knowlton (WPP) marketing consumer packaged goods. As an Executive Board Member of the Brookline Education Foundation, which funds professional development in the Brookline Public Schools, Christina led their Grant and Oversight Committees. She currently sits on the board of the Brookline Library Foundation and teaches ESL at Rosie’s Place in Boston.
Christina Gordon (Co-Founder and CEO) holds a dual master’s degree in International Finance and Applied Economics from MIT’s Sloan School of Management. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Boston University and also studied for a joint master’s degree in Women’s Studies and Sociology at Brandeis with a focus on women in the workplace. Christina is a former assistant fund manager and technology industry equity analyst at Wellington Management. She also worked as a stock analyst at Fidelity Investments. She is a trustee of a private foundation, a member of Women Moving Millions and currently sits on the board of Rosie’s Place, a sanctuary for poor and homeless women in Boston.