The We Energies Foundation recently donated $5,000 to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Women in STEM program to support outreach and programming efforts.
UW-Platteville’s nationally-recognized Women in STEM program offers many programs and events for young women and girls from fifth grade through college, in order to create a supportive community where women prosper at UW-Platteville and in their future.
“Women in STEM program individual and corporate partner support are essential in helping to create a diverse workforce for the future,” said Tammy Salmon-Stephens, Director of the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science Student Success Programs at UW-Platteville. “Our students benefit greatly from the engagement with these partners.”
In a year and a half, the Women in STEM program has grown from serving 15 majors to 35 majors, doubling the number of women on campus who benefit from the program to more than 1,000.
“Initiatives designed to introduce students to science, technology, engineering and mathematics, such as the Women in STEM Career Day hosted by UW-Platteville, fully align with our key focus area of education,” said Beth Straka, president of the We Energies Foundation. “By providing our girls and young women access to resources, mentoring and hands-on, experience-based STEM learning programs, we are not only making an investment in our community, but also an investment in our future. The We Energies Foundation is proud to support these programs.”
The funds ensure that young women have the opportunity to participate in STEM programming that might not otherwise be available to those in rural communities.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support from the We Energies Foundation and We Energies employees, such as alumna Kris Ackerman, who has personally supported the Women in STEM program since 1997,” said Salmon-Stephens.
The We Energies Foundation supports initiatives for community and neighborhood development, health and human services, arts and culture, education and environment.