The Arkansas STEM Coalition, in partnership with the Arkansas Department of Higher Education and the Arkansas Department of Career Education, announces the award of $76,000 from the Carl D. Perkins Technical Education Act of 2006 to support eleven STEM Leadership for Girls Conferences held to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. The one-day conferences will be held in April and May 2015. The purpose of the grant funding is to improve STEM opportunities and services to Arkansas female students, particularly in grades 10-12 and in grades 13-14 which are freshman and sophomore years. In addition the conferences will promote interest in STEM career fields and ultimately reduce the stereotype that these fields are mainly for males. This program hopes to encourage young females to pursue collegiate careers in STEM related occupations.
The STEM grants provide a STEM Leadership for Girls Conference on college campuses for female students in grades 10-14. Only girls in these grades may participate. The conferences will include STEM activities for 50 or more girls in a workshop format applying topics such as robotics, coding, engineering design, space science, nanoscience, chemical reactions, and 3-D visualization. It is important to help girls thrive in a STEM world. The Conference may include a tour of STEM facilities and STEM programs offered at the college. The Conference is given at no cost to participants.
Interested girls should go to the Arkansas STEM Coalition website at www.arkansasstemcoalition.com/arkansas-stem-centers/ to find the nearest STEM Center university contact information about how to register. Locations and dates are listed below.
Arkansas State University – Jonesboro, Saturday, April 11, 2015
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff – Saturday, April 11, 2015
University of Arkansas at Monticello – Tuesday, April 21, 2015
University of Arkansas – Fort Smith – Friday, April 24, 2015
Arkansas Tech University – Russellville – Saturday, April 25, 2015
East Arkansas Community College – Forrest City – Saturday, April 25, 2015
Harding University – Searcy – Saturday, April 25, 2015
Henderson State University – Arkadelphia – Saturday, April 25, 2015
University of Arkansas – Fayetteville – Saturday, April 25, 2015
Southern Arkansas University – Magnolia – Saturday, May 2, 2015
University of Central Arkansas – Conway – Friday, May 22, 2015
For more information, contact Suzanne Mitchell, Executive Director of the Arkansas STEM Coalition (director@arkansasstemcoalition.com).
About Author
Jeri Pearson
Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.

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