ACCESS Girls STEM Event Returns Bigger Than Ever!
This summer, ACCESS Educational Services brought back its Girls STEM Event, She Looks Just Like Me, with our biggest program yet: a four-day, three-night immersive experience on the campus of the University of Bridgeport. The event brought together 42 high school girls for an unforgettable opportunity to live on a college campus, take part in hands-on workshops in cybersecurity and robotics, and build connections with fellow students. Even more exciting, 80% of participants were attending their first-ever ACCESS program, opening the door for a new generation of students to discover their potential in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Parents and students also came together for a screening of the documentary Counted Out, which explores how math is everywhere in our lives and is a critical factor in social and economic power. On the final day, we were honored to welcome State Senator Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox, who closed out the event by speaking with the girls about leadership and civic engagement and sharing her passion for supporting young women.
We are incredibly grateful to our sponsors, Society for Science, the Connecticut Department of Economic Development, the National Colition of 100 Black Women, New Haven Metropolitan Chapter, the National Council of Negro Women Greater Bridgeport Section, PT Partners, and Bridgeport Hospital, for helping make this experience possible. We also thank our community partners, including the University of Bridgeport, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Theta Tau Omega Chapter, the National Society of Black Engineers Region I Professionals, the David and Eunice Bigelow Foundation, KJB Associates, LLC, and McLeanSmiles Family & Cosmetic Dentistry for helping us create a meaningful experience for these scholars and future leaders.
We cannot wait to see where these young women go next!