The mission of The Center for Women and Minorities in STEM is to dramatically increase the number of females and minorities in the K-12 academic pipeline to STEM careers by working with schools and community programs that already serve these youth.

 

Saturday STEM Academy (scheduled for implementation September 2008.)

 

Saturday STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Academy is for underserved high school students from school districts in the Metro South/West region that participate in the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) program and Greater Framingham Community Church (GFCC).

 

Offered at Olin College of Engineering, the program is modeled after the highly successful, five-year-old SEED (Saturday Engineering Enrichment and Discovery) Academy operating at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

 

Saturday STEM Academy is a four year program that begins in the freshman year of high school meeting for ten Saturdays during the Fall and Spring of each year. Students participate in curriculum that features hands-on projects covering a range of engineering and life mastery skills.

 

The planning effort for the Saturday STEM Academy is jointly lead by Olin College of Engineering and the Metro South/West Regional Employment Board, and includes representatives from school districts and the business community.