About This Episode

In this episode, we welcome Lee Ann Kline, the President and Founder of STEM Advantage.  STEM Advantage is a non-profit that mentors, prepares and inspires women and underserved communities to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).  STEM’s overarching vision is “Advancing Equity Through Education” by providing economic and social mobility to underserved groups, supplying a vetted pipeline of diverse talent to businesses, and subsequently helping address components of the racial wealth gap.

87% of the scholars in the program are students of color; nearly 50% are women. STEM helps “level the playing field” for students who have talent but may not have the same opportunities and networks as students attending a private or elite public university.

STEM Advantage gives students, who are mostly low-income, first-generation college students, attending a California State University campus (the largest and most ethnically diverse 4-year public university in the nation), many of the benefits that students attending a private or elite public university receive, including:

• Paid internships to help students gain real-world experience,
• Mentors to provide a role model, support, guidance and coaching,
• Scholarships to attend classes full-time and graduate with less student debt,
• Professional development and career panels to prepare for their job search, and
• Community, including a sense of belonging and opportunities to build their network.

Through partnerships and a collective impact model with businesses, professional and industry organizations, STEM Advantage is a uniquely holistic program designed specifically to help low-income, first generation college students attending a public university – graduate and launch STEM careers – and then “Pay It Forward” as future role models and mentors to help others.

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