Fortunately, with all involved entities working so well together, we were all able to connect the pieces necessary to place this program in so many schools in such a short time. I am looking forward to helping the schools make the most out of this great opportunity.Raymond Hunter, CEO HUNTER Programs Education Services, and adviser to MASTERthese
MASTERthese has now secured dates in January 2018 during which the MIT Women’s Initiative Program will take place at specially selected schools in south Orange County, California. Two female MIT engineering Ph.D. candidates will travel to these schools to conduct exciting presentations and learning activities designed to get girls more excited about majoring and seeking careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
MASTERthese founding member, Logan Purcell said, “I was really glad to hear that MIT approved our schools since it signaled that our teamwork over the past several weeks with SAMPE and HUNTER Programs Education Services really paid off.” Logan explained further, “It was very competitive in getting MIT to very graciously include us in its wonderful Women’s Initiative Program. MIT gets applications from schools nationwide. As you can imagine, there are not very many female Ph.D. candidates in the first place, and yet, the idea is to use female Ph.D. candidates to encourage a greater number of females in STEM. Its a kind of catch twenty-two. We are very excited to be included, and we will do everything we can to ensure it runs smoothly and makes a great impact.”
Joe Ingalls, SAMPE Foundation Program Administrator said, “The people at SAMPE are very pleased with this outcome. With composite materials becoming such an important part of the future and yet something that is not yet taught in K-12, females pursuing university studies in this field will have a major competitive edge. We sure hope to influence more women into materials, and into STEM in general.”
Ray Hunter, CEO of HUNTER Programs Education Services and adviser to MASTERthese, said, “I am really glad SAMPE reached out to us for help with this. The MIT Women’s Initiative Program is wonderful and it’s a good fit with what MASTERthese is all about. Fortunately, with all involved entities working so well together, we were all able to connect the pieces necessary to place this program in so many schools in such a short time. I am looking forward to helping the schools make the most out of this great opportunity.”
HUNTER Programs Education Services (HPES) has agreed to hold follow up meetings after the MIT presentations. In the follow-up meetings, HPES will help parents and students understand the differences between applying to colleges as STEM majors versus non-STEM, applying to private colleges versus public colleges, and HPES will also answer any other related questions parents and students may have.
The MIT Women’s Initiative Program will be in schools on January 22 & January 26, 2018. The following high schools will have presentations on their own campuses: Aliso Niguel High School, Capistrano Valley High School, Dana Hills High School, JSerra Catholic High School, San Clemente High School, San Juan Hills High School, and Santa Margarita High School. The following middle school will have a presentation on its own campus: St. Mary’s and All Angels. The following middle schools will be combined into a single presentation hosted on the Capistrano Valley High School campus: Aliso Viejo, Arroyo Vista, Don Juan Avila, Bernice Ayer, Capistrano Home School, Marco Forster, Carl Hankey, Ladera Ranch, Las Flores, Fred Newhart, Niguel Hills, Shorecliffs, and Vista Del Mar. The following middle schools will be combined into a single presentation hosted on the Santa Margarita High School campus: Serra, St. Edwards, St. Anne, St. Johns, The Mission, Our Lady of Fatima.
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