What does veterinary science, biomechanics of exercise, designing a PlayStation 3 and robots have in common? These STEM subjects and others were part of the exploration of science and technology careers at the BBBS STEM Career Fair at the YWCA in Worcester on March 1, 2018.
The STEM Career Fair was hosted by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass/Metrowest (BBBSCM) and the Girls CHOICE program at the YWCA in Worcester. BBBSCM matches adult volunteers with youth facing adversity to provide support, consistency and friendship. Girls in the Girls CHOICE program and teenage boys and girls participating in all BBBSCM mentoring programs attended the Fair with their mentors.
The STEM Career Fair was part of the BBBSCM MySTEM initiative (Mentoring Youth in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). The mission of MySTEM is to provide children with enjoyable STEM engagement opportunities with a mentor to encourage self-esteem and confidence in their abilities. For teenagers we encourage exploration of STEM careers. Attending the Career Fair with a mentor leads to follow up conversations and continued discovery. MySTEM provides ongoing resources and events to nurture the sense of belonging in STEM and a clear pathway to a career.
At the Career Fair professionals talked about why they became interested in their fields, what’s in a day’s work and how to plan your career. This included hands-on activities, demonstrations and lots of questions. Quinsigamond Community College students presented a demo of their NAO Robot project – a voice controlled robot doing yoga! Also presenting were Computer Engineer Kathy Hooper from NVIDIA, Dr. Cyndie Webster, Professor of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, Jessica McDermott a math and science teacher at Forest Grove Middle School and Dr. Tiffiny Butler, an Assistant Teaching Professor of Biomedical Engineering at WPI. QCC Admissions staff also supplied information about their STEM Starter Academy.
*If you are interested in getting involved with MySTEM by being a mentor or sponsoring an event contact Jessica Haggett at jessica.haggett@bbbscm.org or visit our website to find out more www.bbbscm.org
The Mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass/Metrowest is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. The mission of MySTEM is to provide children with enjoyable STEM engagement opportunities within the BBBS mentoring model to encourage self-esteem and provide opportunities to explore STEM careers.