Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship

The Great Lakes Bay Region STEM Ecosystem has secured a Moonshot Catalyst Grant, advancing its mission to provide high-quality STEM education and equitable opportunities for underserved youth and girls. This grant will strengthen Central Michigan University's Center for Excellence in STEM Education and its partners in their mission to empower students, families, and educators through transformative STEM experiences.

"The grant allows us to take a significant step toward addressing gender disparities in STEM fields," noted Julie Cunningham, Director of The Center for Excellence in STEM Education at Central Michigan University. "We are excited to participate in the Million Girls Moonshot grant, recognizing that women continue to be underrepresented in STEM careers. To change this, we must provide young women with role models and opportunities in STEM, especially in two of the fastest-growing STEM career areas — computer science and engineering."

In line with the national Million Girls Moonshot initiative, the Great Lakes Bay Region STEM Ecosystem is dedicated to reshaping the path for girls and non-binary youth in STEM fields. This substantial grant will fortify afterschool and summer programs and educator development, with the goal of broadening access and inclusivity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) for historically underrepresented students. CMU's commitment to advancing STEM education plays a vital role in realizing these transformative changes.

Despite STEM fields being among the fastest-growing and highest-paying careers in the United States, women and individuals from diverse backgrounds remain underrepresented. Women, comprising 30% of professionals in science and engineering, constitute only 30 percent of the college-educated workforce. Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous women are even more underrepresented, at only two percent and one percent, respectively.