BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Girls from 25 high schools, including Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School in Ensley, took advantage of career opportunities at the Super Saturday STEM Summit held May 10th at Samford University’s Christenberry Planetarium.
The summit was hosted by Briana Kinsey, a junior majoring in Biology/ Pre-medicine at the University of Alabama and a participant in the upcoming Miss Alabama Pageant. The event for girls in grades seven through 12 was designed to empower and encourage girls to increase their interest in science, technology, engineering and math, and show them how pursuing these courses can lead to a rewarding future career.
Collaborating sponsors were EYES, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing opportunities for learning and discovery in STEM and self-awareness. The summit featured a keynote address by 2005 Miss America Dr. Deidre Downs. Following the opening address, the girls attended four workshops with 21 successful women in various stem careers including:
Dr. Jaime McKinney, pediatrician; Dr. Janice Jackson, Dentist; Wendy Anger, registered nurse; Dr. Maria Foster-Owens, veterinarian; Jana Drummond, Ph.D. candidate in psychology; Harmony Medoza, meteorologist at NBC 13; Cathy Kennedy Floyd, engineer/ MBA; Rhonda Allen, engineer; Dr. Susanne S. Matthews, pediatrician; Dr. Denise Gregory, Samford University chemistry professor; Ann Heard, registered dietitian; Tandy Dolin Petrov, biology graduate student; Wardine Towers Alexander, medical technologist; Dr. Velda D. Pugh, psychiatrist; Dr. Mamta Parikh, pharmacist; Angela Lake, biomedical engineer; Dr. Latisha Marbury, optometrist ; Amanda Plain, Ph.D. candidate in chemistry; Marjorie Driver, computer programmer; Tamiko Lake, chair of EYES,Inc. and Dr. Rochelle Chijioke, emergency physician.
Ms. Kinsey awarded the first Super Saturday Stem Summit Scholarship to one of the summit attendees, Simuka Leonard, a 10th grader at Holy Family Cristo Rey, to attend the Minority Youth Science Academy, a three-day residential Summer Stem Camp hosted by Dr. Denise Gregory, Chemistry Professor and Director of Diversity and Intercultural Initiatives at Samford University.
STEM careers offer women the opportunity to engage in some of the most exciting realms of discovery and technological innovation. Increasing opportunities for women in these fields is an important step towards realizing greater economic success and equality for women, and begins with planting the seeds of success early in the minds of elementary, middle and high school girls.
