July 2019
JULY NEWSLETTER

Please check out below for what's going on in MWM! 
MENTORING HEADLINES
2019 Leaders to Learn From Series

As Million Women Mentors embarks on our fifth year in operation, we are excited to build on the progress we have made and share authentic insight into the world of mentoring through our #BeyondtheBuzzword campaign. Part of this work is showcasing the leaders who have paved the way for women across industries and set a true example for girls and women across the globe. We know that leadership comes in many forms and that there are many avenues to success. The  2019 Million Women Mentors Leaders to Learn From series showcases the career paths of STEM leaders who have followed unique pathways to attain their current status. Every month we will celebrate the story of a new trailblazer who beat the odds and define what it means to be a role model. These profiles will celebrate individuals who persevere against convention and remind young people and seasoned veterans alike that there is no longer a "traditional" means to career success.

We are happy to announce this month's leader Katie Abouzahr , Head, R&D Operations , Janssen Research & Development, LLC. We are very excited to feature Katie and the and her wonderful journey from being a medial doctor to a blossoming career in STEM! Feel free to share this profile with your networks to show women across the globe that there is no longer a 'traditional' model of a successful career. To download the profile please click here or the image below.
Register Today! 2019 MWM Leadership Circle Webinar

Thursday, July 18, 2019 at 12 PM EST

MWM inspires the confidence and interest in young women and girls to pursue STEM careers and leadership opportunities through the power of mentoring. Part of this extensive network is a  series of specialized councils  working to increase opportunities for women and girls within a particular sector or initiative including:

  • Commitment to Entrepreneurship
  • Women in Insurance
  • States Outreach & Programming
  • Technology & Impact
  • Global Awareness & Activation

Hear from our  Leadership Circle, leaders from TCS, Wells Fargo, The Jacobson Group as well as others,  on how each one of these initiatives impacts the movement and the case for mentoring programs. This  one-hour webinar  will be a chance to celebrate and build on progress within each council, while providing concrete calls to action for attendees.

Additionally, we will be hearing from our partner  MENTOR  about all they have going on in their network!
Women In Insurance Initiative Embark on Comprehensive Study on the State of Women in the Industry

On June 12th the Million Women Mentors'  Women in Insurance Initiative (WII)  Consortium announced the launch of a data collection project designed to measure and provide insight into issues and opportunities that currently exist for women in the insurance industry.  Verisk , a leading data analytics provider and member of the consortium, is leading the data collection. WII is encouraging the insurance industry's senior leaders and HR professionals to join and include their organizations in this first-of-its-kind research and important data gathering exercise. The WII 2019 data collection will ask companies to share valuable information about employee demographics, diversity and inclusion programs, and gender parity initiatives. Verisk will aggregate the information for release in the fall of 2019.To provide a deep and comprehensive view of issues and opportunities for women in the insurance industry, the survey will collect detailed information about the numbers of men and women employed throughout the industry, looking at their age ranges, highest education completed, and ethnic groups. It will further examine how many women hold management positions, and what issues are driving inequality in the workplace. All responses will be kept strictly anonymous, allowing organizations to provide candid responses. For more information or to participate in the survey, HR professionals should contact wii@stemconnector.com
MWM Leaders at the National Computer Science Summit

On June 10 , more than thirty states and Canada sent representatives to the first ever National Computer Science Summit in Arkansas, designed to encourage and educate people nationally about computer science education in schools. Guests included governors, state representatives and senators, commissioners and superintendents.
MWM National Honorary Chair and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds was one of the keynote speakers. “All students should be able to have the opportunity to learn about computer science no matter where they live” said Reynolds. Governor Asa Hutchinson hosted the event in the Governor’s mansion and shared results that Arkansas has had the number of girls taking a computer science class increased from 220 to over 2,400, an increase of more than 1000%! The number of teachers who are teaching computer science courses also has grown from 20 to over 370. Gerri McCann is one of those teachers. She had been teaching French at Manila High School when she decided to expand to computer science. Her computer science program has grown from seven students and one class to four classes, which required her to reduce the number of French classes she teaches. Speakers at the event, including Hadi Partovi from Code.org, highlighted the need for more girls and women in these fields. Members of MWM including leaders from MWM-SC , MWM-FL , MWM-Canada , Learning Blade and TATA Consulting Services participated as well.
PARTNERS
Promoting STEM Engagement Through Mentoring

Thursday, July 18 2019, 1:00PM – 2:15PM EDT

Increasing exposure and engagement in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) is currently a large focus of many youth serving programs around the country. This webinar will focus on research-informed best practices and strategies that mentoring programs can implement to strengthen youth engagement in STEM. Panelists will discuss current challenges and barriers to STEM engagement, as well as how mentoring can play a role in increasing participation and positive outcomes for young people. Click here to register.
Funding Opportunity for OST STEM from Overdeck Family Foundation

As one of the five focus areas within Overdeck Familiy Foundation, the Inspired Minds portfolio aims to improve access to out-of-school (OST) STEM opportunities, allowing children to unlock their curiosity and explore mind-expanding challenges, and is soliciting Letters of Interest for an opportunity around understanding which afterschool STEM programs have scaled up while also having evidence of effectiveness. The official submission deadline is July 17 . If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to reach out to Wendy Castillo, Research and Learning Analyst at Overdeck Family Foundation ( wcastillo@overdeck.org ). For more information please click here.
PepsiCo Unveils Tamakani to Empower Saudi Women

PepsiCo, the global food and beverage company, launched Tamakani, a dedicated platform that aims to support and inspire generations of women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The platform will help create opportunities and guidance for women with promising capabilities, provide support to realize aspirations, scale up innovative initiatives, and mentor Saudi women to realize their full potential. The Tamakani platform will focus on a number of key areas - women in the workforce that will shed light on work-life balance, career growth, overcoming challenges; female empowerment to support and mentor younger generation of Saudi women to push boundaries and women of the future which will highlight women with influence that are shaping the future of the Kingdom. The initiative will also focus on engaging men as advocates who support women as co-workers and family members. PepsiCo hires women across all functions as managers, engineers and on the frontlines, where they work on a specifically developed ladies-only packaging line, called the ‘Pink Line’ in the plants, with many more working throughout PepsiCo’s offices, warehouses and facilities in the Kingdom. In addition, the company launched the region’s first Million Women Mentors® chapter in Riyadh, a global movement designed to support the engagement of millions of STEM mentors, both male and female, in order to increase the interest and confidence of girls and women to persist and succeed in STEM programs and careers. For more information please click here.
Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Awards

Each year, the Chick-fil-A Foundation grants more than $1 million to at least 22 non-profit organizations across the country who are helping children become all they can be ,  and we’d like to invite you to  apply for a 2020 True Inspiration Award . Applications are open through July 15, 2019.     
 
Additional resources for you:
  • To see the types of organizations that won an award for 2019, visit the True Inspiration Awards page on the Chick-fil-A Foundation website.
  • A timeline for applications and processing is attached for your review.
 
Please ensure you register as a US Based nonprofit. Thank you for all that you do to invest in and inspire our future leaders. For more information about the awards please click here.
The Earl Woods Scholar Mentoring Program

In celebration of Earl Woods’ lifelong dedication to helping young people achieve their dreams, TGR Foundation, A Tiger Woods Charity, created the Earl Woods Scholar (EWS) Program. Students awarded the four-year renewable scholarship demonstrate outstanding academic achievement, financial need and a commitment to community. In addition to the financial assistance for tuition, books, travel home or winter clothing,each Scholar receives a dedicated mentor, specialized internships and tailored professional development workshops. Scholars are chosen from select U.S. cities and attend prestigious collegesand universities across the country such as Harvard, Georgetown, USC and UCLA.  Currently, TGR Foundation is seeking scholars in the DC area . Please click here for more information.
STATES' INITIATIVES





Nevada Commission for Women’s Silver State Sisters: Women Transforming Nevada Exhibit Unveiling Ceremony

On June 11th MWM champions Executive VP of Public Policy & Corp Responsibility at Caesars Entertainment Jan Jones Blackhurst and Lt. Governor Kate Marshall represented MWM at the Nevada Commission for Women's Silver State Sisters: Women Transforming Nevada Exhibit Unveiling Ceremony! We love to see your photos and congrats on your success!





MWM-Maine Women Helping Women Mixer

Million Women Mentors-Maine, under the direction of Catherine Lamson , Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at MEMIC, held their first event on June 25th with over 130 women in attendance! The event consisted of an orientation to the movement and a 'Table Talk: Issues that are Facing Women in Business'. The day ended in open networking and walking people through the website and the 'Be Counted!' movement. We are so proud of all the hard work they are doing in Maine, if you are interested in participating please reach out to Alexa.Gitler@stemconnector.com . Below are some images from the event, go Maine!!





Why Math and STEM Education is a Social Justice Issue

Dr. Gina Cherkowsi , the leader of MWM-Canada, wrote a passionate article and we are beyond proud to feature it in our newsletter! The Fourth Industrial Revolution requires that today’s youth are equipped with the skills, tools and mindsets needed to think creatively, leverage technology wisely and solve wicked problems collectively. Answering the call, leading education systems around the world are striving to integrate STEM, STEAM and Maker learning experiences into students’ daily lives. Globally, we are moving away from an antiquated industrial approach toward one more suitable for today’s digital natives.Recent thinking moves beyond the basic definition of STEM as Science, Technology, Engineering and Math toward positioning STEM/STEAM as an integrated learning experience that leverages knowledge from traditionally siloed subjects such as math, science and even art and the humanities, in order to creatively solve complex human problems while employing new technologies and developing innovative thinking capacities. Applying “soft skills” such as creativity, collaboration, communication and emotional intelligence to technical STEM knowledge unlocks the potential for purposeful and impactful innovation. There is no question that technology is rapidly changing the way people live, work, play, communicate and even the way we think. Given the unprecedented rate of change in technological advancements, experts around the globe are in strong agreement that digital skills are a mandatory literacy required for the youth of today and tomorrow. According to the  World Economic Forum , countries who prioritize digital literacy will aptly prepare students for the job market of the future. To read more please click here.
MWM-FL Names First Honorary Chair

Million Women Mentors- Florida is pleased to welcome Senator Lizbeth Benacquisto as the state’s first Honorary Chair.  MWM-FL Chair STEM2Hub Executive Director Kathleen Schofield has been leading STEM and Computer Science efforts in the state through her organization and is looking forward to having the Senator as a leader to expand MWM throughout the state. Senator Benacquisto was first elected to the Florida Senate in 2010 and currently represents Southwest Florida in the 27th district. Senator Benacquisto was named the Majority Leader for the Republican caucus in the Florida Senate in Fall of 2012, after serving as the Deputy Majority Leader during the previous session. Additionally, she was appointed and served as the Vice Chair of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee for four years. She currently has the rare honor of serving her second consecutive term as the Rules Chair in the Florida Senate, a crucial leadership post in the legislative process. Since her election to the Florida Legislature, Senator Benacquisto has maintained her focus on good public policy and is excited to be a part of MWM. Her accomplishments in public policy have been honored by organizations in Florida and across the nation. Recent honors include being named the Person of the Year from Gulfshore Life Magazine, Boys and Girls Club of Lee County Children’s Advocate of the Year, PACE Center for Girls’ Senator of the Year and other awards from pro-business statewide organizations. "I’m honored to serve as Honorary Florida Chair for MWM and look forward to continuing to work alongside Million Women Mentors to support young women in the pursuit of STEM careers. I am proud of the work we have done in the Sunshine State to promote STEM and our latest initiative to recruit and retain computer science teachers across Florida. I look forward to helping build even greater opportunities for young women to find success in STEM fields" said Benacquisto.
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH MWM?
It is Time to Get Your Numbers in For ‘Be Counted!’ 2019
 
As we begin 2019, it is important you start thinking about our   Million Women Mentors ‘Be Counted!’ Campaign , an effort to record all of the mentoring of girls and women in STEM that is happening already for 2019! We know companies, organizations, and individuals are working to move the needle for girls in STEM currently, and now we just need to count it!
 
Now you can easily record the mentoring you are doing just by clicking on the Be Counted! button after logging into the website. After logging in, just fill out the information about the mentoring you have done, and voila! You will be counted!
 
Please help spread the word about this campaign and get all of the mentoring counted!  If you would like the Be Counted! Campaign Cheat Sheet click here . As well, the link to share out for our Google form can be accessed by   clicking here.
 
If you have any questions or comments, please contact  Alexa.Gitler@stemconnector.com .
WEBSITE UPDATES
Million Women Mentors Customization to Attract Mentors for Snap the Gap for MWM-CA
 
The MWM team is supporting and creating resources to attract mentors for the Snap the Gap program in California. Snap the Gap has begun a pilot where 10-12 year old girl participants receive a littleBits STEM Starter Pack provided by The Walt Disney Company, along with a one-year immersion in an inventor community and mentorship by an inspiring adult in STEM. UC Davis, which leads MWM-CA is helping to recruit participants and mentors and measure the program’s impact. With this launch, Snap the Gap is calling on STEM professionals to join the movement and volunteer as mentors or partners. MWM-CA engaged the MWM Technology Leaders and MWM Sponsor TATA Consulting Services to create customized location search solutions for the California program. Snap the Gap is looking to attract up to 5,000 mentors for up to 15,000 participants in the program to assist in reducing the gender gap in STEM. MWM has designed a customized page that highlights Snap the Gap mentoring locations in major cities in California by entering the appropriate zip code. You can view the search page  here . If you want to get involved or for additional information please visit  SnapTheGap.or g
ONLINE RESOURCES
MWM State of the States 2018-2019

The report provides an overview of the movement and features a page on each state involved. The state pages detail events and initiatives within that state over the past year, commitments and pledges to mentor, and plans for the coming year, and provides information on that state's leadership structure and partner organizations. It's a chance to celebrate progress, share best-practices and scalable models of success, and dive deeper into the daily workings of this vast volunteer movement. 

To download the report please click here.