Bridging Generations: The Power of Women in STEM

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we at JerseySTEM reflect on the extraordinary legacy of women who have transformed the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. But more importantly, we look to the future we’re actively building—a future where young girls no longer question whether they belong in STEM, but rather which STEM path they’ll choose to pursue.

The Mentor-Mentee Connection: A Powerful Catalyst

Our program’s unique strength lies in the beautiful symbiosis between college students and middle school girls. When an engineering student guides a 12-year-old through her first successful robotics project, something magical happens: both lives are transformed. The middle schooler sees a tangible example of what she can become, while the college mentor reinforces their own belonging in their chosen field by passing knowledge to the future generation.

“I was always fascinated by technology and problem-solving,” shares Vaishnavi Mhaske, a program instructor volunteer at JerseySTEM. “When I wrote my first piece of code, it felt like magic to see my ideas come to life on the screen! This sense of empowerment is something I strive to bring into my teaching. I want our middle schoolers to experience that same spark of curiosity and realize that they, too, can be creators, not just consumers, of technology.”

Creating an Ecosystem of Support

The STEM gender gap doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Research consistently shows that girls begin losing interest in STEM subjects around middle school age—precisely when social pressures intensify and fewer examples of women in these fields are visible to them (Microsoft, 2018; National Science Foundation, 2023). This critical juncture is where JerseySTEM steps in.

Our after-school programs in coding, robotics, chemistry, and biology create safe spaces where girls can explore, experiment, and sometimes fail—all essential parts of the scientific process. By making these experiences accessible and engaging, we’re helping build the pipeline of future women in STEM.

One of our instructors witnessed this transformation firsthand: “A student who was initially hesitant about coding ended up leading her team in programming a Taco Bot with a distance sensor,” Vaishnavi recalls. “On the first day, she admitted, ‘STEM careers seem too challenging, and I don’t think I have what it takes.’ However, everything changed when she saw the robot successfully respond to obstacles. Her face lit up with excitement, and she turned to me and said, ‘I didn’t think I could do this, but now I want to build my own robot!'” These moments reaffirm why representation and hands-on learning in STEM are so crucial.

Join the Movement

“STEM is not just about numbers and code—it’s about creativity, innovation, and making an impact,” emphasizes Vaishnavi in her message to girls uncertain about pursuing STEM. “If you’ve ever been curious about how things work or wanted to create something new, then STEM is for you! Don’t be afraid to explore and make mistakes; every expert started as a beginner. The world needs more diverse perspectives in STEM, and your ideas matter.”

Together, we’re not just celebrating women’s history—we’re actively writing its next chapter, one after-school club at a time.

 

Want to make a difference like Vaishnavi ? Learn more about our open volunteer positions at JerseySTEM.org

Meet Sreerag – Volunteering to Groom Future STEM Professionals

“I’m proud to have worked for an organization that aims to enable young girls like my sister to have equal – and ample – opportunities to pursue a career in STEM,” says Sreerag.

Meet Sreerag – a data and business analyst who supported both the grant team and then the automation team. Sreerag joined JerseySTEM in February 2024 after graduating from the University of Maryland with a Master’s in Business Analytics. In his role, Sreerag was responsible for extracting insights from large datasets, which were then used to make recommendations that ultimately drove strategic, impactful decisions.

Sreerag was inspired every day by the amount of grantmakers that believed in JerseySTEM’s mission, and he is proud of his contributions that led to securing the support necessary to help JerseySTEM continue to make a difference in the community and beyond. Above all, Sreerag knows that his impact will be felt even after he transitions to his new full-time role at a new company.

When asked about his personal connection to the organization, Sreerag says that his young sister inspired his work.

“I’m proud to have worked for an organization that aims to enable young girls like my sister to have equal – and ample – opportunities to pursue a career in STEM,” Sreerag says. “I wanted to help make that a reality.”

Beyond fulfilling his personal goals, Sreerag also landed his full-time position from the connections he made at JerseySTEM. Networking around the organization led him to what would ultimately become his next step.

Outside of JerseySTEM, Sreerag is a talented artist. He maintains an art account on Instagram where he posts his latest drawings. He also works on personal projects related to data and business analytics to continue to learn new skills to meet his personal and professional goals.

Want to make a difference like Sreerag? Learn more about our open volunteer positions at JerseySTEM.org

Meet Evelyn – Volunteering to Groom Future STEM Professionals

“Climate change is a colossal problem that will require localized solutions. These issues need to be addressed in a way that keeps the context of the city and available resources in mind”, says Evelyn.

Meet Evelyn – a UCLA graduate whose volunteer work as a grant writer at JerseySTEM prepared her for a career in project management. In her four months as a volunteer, Evelyn applied her passion for solving climate change to helping JerseySTEM open new doors for young girls who might have never considered a path in STEM-heavy subjects at school.

In her time at JerseySTEM, Evelyn greatly impacted our grant writing team. Working with other grant writers, she would research, write, and apply for grants that power our partnerships with local schools and communities. Her proudest accomplishment from her volunteer work came when she received the news that her grant was approved, and she had successfully secured funding. In one instance, the letter of interest she wrote was the first step to potentially securing a $25,000 contribution to JerseySTEM’s mission. Throughout her volunteer experience, Evelyn was able to use her communication and storytelling abilities to make a lasting difference.

With a degree in Environmental Science, Evelyn understands the impact that having access to resources, such as mentors and high-quality learning materials, can have on a girl’s choice to pursue a STEM education. Today, her commitment to understanding the factors that influence environmental challenges – and working diligently to find equitable solutions – is evident in her new role as a project manager at ClimateWorks Foundation.

“Climate change is a colossal problem that will require localized solutions,” says Evelyn. “These issues need to be addressed in a way that keeps the context of the city and available resources in mind.”

Outside of her volunteer work and full-time role, Evelyn enjoys learning about philosophy and sipping on vanilla lattes (with oat milk, of course).

Want to make a difference like Evelyn? Learn more about our open volunteer positions at JerseySTEM.org

Meet Amey – Volunteering to Groom Future STEM Professionals

“I wanted to make a contribution that mattered – I wanted to give other students a boost at an early stage. I love what I do at JerseySTEM.”

Meet Amey – a software developer with a Master’s in Computer Science from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He’s been with JerseySTEM since August 2023, and he has worked on the automation team – and more recently the Robotic Process Automation team – to help reduce repetitive tasks and minimize the workload for his fellow volunteers.

Amey heard about JerseySTEM from a previous roommate. The opportunity to work on automated solutions and artificial intelligence was something that was both new and exciting to him. The mission to make STEM education more accessible to young girls was inspiring to him, as he recalled the challenges that came from being an international student. When you don’t have access to the same resources as others, it can be detrimental to future success compared to one’s peers.

“I wanted to make a contribution that mattered – I wanted to give other students a boost at an early stage. I love what I do at JerseySTEM.”

The first project he worked on was very memorable to Amey. He was tasked with implementing a project that would make volunteers’ scheduled availability more accessible, making it much easier for volunteers to connect with each other. With the automation team, he was able to facilitate better communication throughout the organization.

Outside of JerseySTEM, Amey has a flourishing baking and cooking hobby. He’s currently working to perfect his vegan recipes for his friends with dietary restrictions, and he’s recently learned how to bake fudgy brownies.

With more than four years of experience in programming along with certifications in Tableau, Python, and Robotic Process Automation Amey is skilled in front-end development, project management, and generative AI-powered solutions. His educational background and real-world experience help him solve complex problems in a user-centric way. He is open to part-time and full-time software development roles and is based in Harrison, New Jersey.

Want to make a difference like Amey? Learn more about our open volunteer positions at JerseySTEM.org

Meet Tonya – Volunteering to Groom Future STEM Professionals

“I was inspired to volunteer with JerseySTEM as I continued to witness how disproportionately women and minorities, in particular in underserved communities, did not have access to STEM opportunities.

“I wanted to be part of a team building out the pipeline of talent for our future leaders.”

For Tonya Walley, the STEM education gap is a personal affront: “I am hoping (JerseySTEM) will close the equity gap on women and minorities in STEM roles,” she explains about the long-term JerseySTEM goal of advancing women and minorities in the STEM workforce.

“I believe the STEM enrichment gap exists in our country because there are access issues, in that some (school) districts do not have appropriate funding for STEM-related activities. There is also an issue with pure STEM awareness and how everything we do has tentacles in STEM learnings.”

Tonya works as a leader in field operations and plant maintenance for Cox Communications. While hers is a career most obviously rooted in technology, she acknowledges that she would not have gotten to where she is professionally without exposure to STEM enrichment; and she believes that technology (capital T in STEM) touches most jobs these days. Ergo, STEM enrichment is quite essential to a comprehensive education plan.

Tonya has volunteered directly with New Jersey school students to help bridge the STEM enrichment gap. She helped with onsite activities such as building robots and educating kids on the importance of STEM knowledge in the workplace.

JerseySTEM has been effective at enriching STEM education for New Jersey students these past nine years because of passionate volunteers like Tonya: “My vision for the future of JerseySTEM is that there would be a robust communication plan to educate students on the importance of STEM roles and that there would be funding allocated to teach students and expose them to STEM activities,” she says.

We quite agree!

Please consider doing what Tonya and other STEM professionals are doing to help build a strong pipeline of future leaders. Thank you!

Meet Selwyn – Volunteering to Give Girls a Chance

How much do people rely on chance to get ahead in life?

According to Scientific American, we do it a lot. “Are the most successful people mostly just the luckiest people in our society?” the blog asks. It points to studies that demonstrate how chance does, in fact, factor into human success stories:

The list goes on. It’s no wonder, our JerseySTEM volunteers often sound a familiar refrain: “Give girls a chance!”

Selwyn Browne is no different. As a volunteer, he has worked to establish a technical infrastructure that supports other volunteers and students alike. He brought us his cyber and networking security acumen, along with an entrepreneurial approach to evaluating and implementing new technologies for our organization.

“What inspired me most about volunteering with JerseySTEM is its mission and the exceptional work the organization does in many of the underserved and poorer communities,” Selwyn explains.

“These kids now have a better chance of getting a better education, getting into better colleges, and fulfilling their dreams in life.”

There’s that word “chance.” It implies a certain lack of equity. Some people are just lucky others aren’t. Life’s not fair. (That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive to make it as fair as possible.)

“The STEM enrichment gap will continue to widen, putting already vulnerable students at even more of an educational disadvantage, unless greater emphasis and resources are brought to bear to address the issue. Having access to education and the necessary resources is something every young person should have available to them regardless of socioeconomic status.” he says, echoing the JerseySTEM mission.

“My vision for the future of JerseySTEM is to see the organization continue with its mission and goals to reduce the gender gap in STEM participation, bridge the innovation gap in STEM education, and address the opportunity gap. It has worked with many of JerseySTEM’s volunteers and I know this is an achievable goal.”

We completely agree!

Meet Sabrina – Volunteering to Support Our Mentors

“I was lucky to have grown up exposed to computers from an early age,” explains JerseySTEM volunteer Sabrina Whiteman. “I had a father who was endlessly curious and he passed that curiosity to me.”

Acknowledging early exposure to computer science as one source of motivation, Sabrina has forged a career in information technology (IT) – working at companies like MassMutual Financial Group and the American Stock Exchange – and currently serves as senior administrator in the Computer Science Department at Yale University. As a volunteer with our team, she outlined the parameters of our Corporate Mentorship Program screening and matching process – a valuable operational function at the core of what JerseySTEM works to do.

“I love the idea of an organization that exposes children to STEM but also connects university students to participants.”

Says Sabrina: “It was important for me to provide my insight and experience so that JerseySTEM was successful in implementing the mentoring program with measurable and trackable goals.”

The JerseySTEM Corporate Mentorship Program pairs college students who are aspiring to STEM careers with STEM career employees (mentors) from socially responsible companies like Microsoft, Google, Verizon and others. The mentors guide the students on job search, job interview and workplace survival basics. In turn, these college students also mentor middle school students and / or teach our after-school programs. (Way to pay it forward!)

The program couldn’t have come too soon, according to Sabrina: “I believe school boards and leaders are woefully uninformed (about) the importance of educating our youth for a future where STEM impacts (the) fabric of our lives. Even with the free tools that are available schools won’t have the capacity to use them in the classroom” she posits, pointing to understaffing due to budget cuts as one reason STEM education levels vary from school to school.

Pairing a young professional mentor with a college student has been beneficial for both the mentors and the mentees. It helps each person connect STEM concepts to parts of everyday life; and both participants receive the social benefit of interacting with each other. When supported by a corporate sponsor, employees also take pride in working to further their company’s equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) agenda. Additionally, the mentees pass along what they’ve learned in our STEM youth programs.

“This programming should stand as a model for others across the nation,” Sabrina says. “I foresee JerseySTEM expanding and becoming a historically impactful organization that will…grow and serve additional communities in New Jersey.”

Sabrina hopes that students, mentors and instructors benefiting from our program will go on to have diverse and rewarding STEM careers. She also hopes many will, in turn, donate their time to our organization as volunteers.

“Without the right support, our children will fall behind those of other nations,” Sabrina says.

Volunteers like Sabrina and the companies that sponsor our mentors make bridging the STEM enrichment gap in New Jersey possible.

Meet Karen – Volunteering to Motivate Young Women

Many people speak aspirationally in broad terms about “helping out” or “giving back” or “sharing the benefits” of STEM enrichment as volunteers with JerseySTEM. It’s truly inspiring to witness the compassion of our team members!

Karen E. Rice – currently a marketing manager with the American Academy of Ophthalmology and previously an executive pharmaceutical consultant with Medical Marketing Solutions, LLC – has a more specific vision for the future of our after-school programs for the young women of underserved New Jersey school districts: “That 80% of girls who enter the program in (middle school) are still active participants when they graduate from high school and enter a science program in college,” she says.

Karen didn’t have any experience working with individual donors as a marketer when she started volunteering with JerseySTEM. However – like the intelligent and resourceful thinkers she wants to motivate – she used brain power to figure it out. Karen was able to identify and build a prospective outreach database, which served as a launchpad for the JerseySTEM individual donors program.

“I was searching for an organization where my interest and career in the science and pharmaceutical industry could have a positive influence on young, minority girls interested in STEM,” she says. Karen found a good volunteer home with our team, consistent with her professional commitment to protect sight and empower lives with the leading ophthalmic advocacy organization.

We think the young women of New Jersey are ready!

Dishant Modi – JerseySTEM Volunteer Success Story

Volunteering for JerseySTEM can sometimes lead to an exciting career opportunity. That’s what happened for Dishant Modi, 26, who is originally from Gujarat, a state along the western coast of India.

After receiving his Master’s Degree in Data Analytics from Northeastern University in Boston, Dishant worked as a business intelligence developer consultant. He eventually answered a JerseySTEM LinkedIn posting seeking a volunteer with his technical expertise. Dishant soon became a data analyst intern at JerseySTEM, joining the team the Balu Vemburaj, an agile coach/project manager at JerseySTEM, supervises.

From mid-February through mid-August 2022, Dishant collaborated with the team on Jira software on which they managed their projects. He leveraged data from multiple domains and sources to build dashboards and reported on volunteer activity, plus participated in weekly virtual team meetings to discuss and plan other analytical projects.

It turns out that Balu, who is also a senior director at Akamai Technologies, Inc., needed someone with similar skills for his team at his company. He offered Dishant a job as a data analyst in late August 2022.

Meet Sriya – JerseySTEM Program Instructor

One would think that middle school kids in a Friday after-school activity would be somewhat tired after a long week. But if you stop by the MySTEM Club classroom at Robert Treat Academy in Newark between 3:30-5:30pm each week, you’ll hear and see an infectious energy. From the opening icebreaker that usually involves talk about fashion to the final minutes spent in joyful dancing to “Cotton-Eyed Joe”, Sriya Jidugu’s class is far from ordinary. But that’s not surprising once you get to know Sriya.  

Born in India’s southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh, Sriya came to live in New Jersey with her family when she was young. Her youth was spent in suburban communities not far from the urban NJIT Newark campus, a place she says “feels like home.” What she likes most about NJIT is that it’s a small community where becoming a well-rounded person is a priority. If she had attended a different university she wonders if she would be as confident and out-going as she is now.

As a member of the NJIT Honors program, she is required to complete fifteen hours of on-campus service as well as fifteen service hours within the greater Newark community. This brought Syria and her many talents to JerseySTEM, but she has been applying her talent and enthusiasm to various programs since high school as a peer mentor to underclassmen and summer tutor for special needs kids.

Sriya is a bundle of energy. She is running for election as the NJIT student senate biochemistry representative, dances with the student Ehsaas dance team, and mentors local high schoolers about STEM career paths as part of the Lyra club.  And that she does, as evident by the hugs she receives every Friday from the girls who race to her MySTEM Club classroom. “Working with the younger kids is especially rewarding,” she beams.   

Due to her academic standing at NJIT, Sriya gets to be a part of a research team studying medical practices in 19th century Turkey. While not an assigned part of her course load, it is her favorite area of research. Maybe that’s why she plans to attend med school to study neuroscience after receiving her undergraduate degree.   

Although it doesn’t seem like there are any hours unaccounted for in her week, Sriya fits in some occasional down-time. When not in class, studying, dancing, or volunteering, she can be found challenging friends in crocheting competitions or perfecting her stove-top cooking skills.  Her specialty— jalapeno mac-n-cheese! It seems appropriate for someone with such a zest for life.