NEENAH, WI (WTAQ) – Seventy-five freshman and sophomore high school girls from across the Fox Cities had a chance to check out the possibilities of STEM-related careers during Wednesday’s 5th annual Smart Girls Rock event.
“If you’ve never seen a woman doing a specific role, that might not be something you think of as something you can do,” says founder Tiffany Carter.
The event held at Menasha Corporation featured 11 interactive stations created to expose students to in-demand STEM careers from welding to forensic science in law enforcement.
“it’s important because as women, we don’t get exposed to STEM careers as men do when they’re growing up. Seeing women do those jobs is very important for them to have that positive role model.”
Students were also connected with 28 women mentors who work in STEM-related professions.
Carter believes bringing more women into STEM fields not only creates opportunities for them as employees, but it also provides a new perspective for their future employers.
“Women bring some different views to the table, so when you’re talking about diversifying your portfolio, having someone who looks at it from maybe a different angle is very beneficial for your organization and helping it grow,” Carter says.
But the biggest goal of the day is piquing interest in young girls who may not have previously considered roles in STEM fields.
Carter says the key is “catching them early enough that they can map out the rest of their high school careers in preparation for what they’re going to do moving forward with their lives.”
