Our Story
I have always had a passion for education and a recognition that it can change lives. I, and many of my family members have been privileged in our education and have enjoyed the benefits of rewarding careers in STEM fields. But in my many years of working with students in a variety of volunteer roles I came to realize that these opportunities are not equally available to all.
In particular, students from low income backgrounds are unlikely to consider STEM electives in school or careers in the STEM fields principally due to a paucity of available role models. These challenges are compounded by a lack of social capital. Furthermore, we know women and people of color are underrepresented in STEM fields.
For many years I have pondered this problem and its role in workforce development and talent shortages. I came to realize that schools were providing programs that touted the benefits of STEM careers as were many employers but the information lacking for many students was the "HOW" of going from an emerging interest in STEM to the required education needed to land a job in a STEM career. The fact of the matter is that there can be a multitude of pathways. That is one critical fact that STEMentor is designed to illustrate.
A second key design featue of STEMentor is the ability to connect any student anywhere with a multitude of opinions and advice about a given STEM career as long as the student has access to the Internet. This is extremely powerful as we attempt to help students make well-informed decisions. As the design of STEMentor has progressed, it became evident that as valuable a tool it could be for college and high school students, it could actually be useful to STEM professionals throughout their careers. Hence, STEMentor seeks to build a diverse community of people with STEM interests who are interested in helping others by providing information and advice.
If our mission resonates with you and you are interested in spending some time discussing STEM careers and pathways with others, we invite you to join STEMentor, regardless of your position as a STEM professional or a student, parent, or teacher. Your time commitment will be minimal but you will improve the lives of many. Thank you.
Regards,
Mark Hibbs, P.E.
Founder of STEMentor