About Us
About STEM Advantage
Talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not. STEM Advantage mentors, prepares, and inspires women and underserved communities, primarily first-generation college students from low-income families, for careers in science, technology, engineering, and math – or STEM, while providing a vetted pipeline of diverse talent to businesses to fill their workforce needs.
We “level the playing field” by empowering talented students with access to networks, employment, economic and social mobility often limited to students attending elite universities.
We offer our Scholars program to students earning a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field at eight California State University (CSU) campuses in Southern California, including the greater Los Angeles region, Orange County, and San Diego. The CSU is the largest and most diverse 4-year public university system in the nation.
The Challenge
Why serve college students? College graduates have an increased earning potential of up to $1 million over a lifetime – and STEM Advantage Scholars are tracking to earn more than $2 million more in their lifetime post-program. Yet only 67% of students from low-income households enroll in college nationally vs. 83% of their high-income peers. National college graduation rates for low-income youth show only 11% earn a bachelor’s degree.
Education helps young people realize their full potential, and a bachelor’s degree is the surest path to the middle class.
Why focus on STEM? The lack of diversity in STEM professions is well documented. Per studies from Pew Center and Million Women Mentors, respectively, Latinx individuals make up only 7% and women make-up only 24% of the STEM workforce. For every 100 female undergraduate students, 12% graduate with a STEM major and only 3% work in STEM fields after graduation.
Diversity matters because STEM jobs pay more, on average, than non-STEM jobs. Plus, 80% of the fastest growing occupations depend upon mastery of STEM skills.
Our Programs
We designed a holistic program for STEM Advantage Scholars that benefits students, their families and communities resulting in a generational impact with a clear path to narrow the gender and racial wealth gaps. Program includes:
- Career support to strengthen skills and gain confidence to secure internships and entry-level jobs
- 1:1 Mentorship from STEM professionals to provide a role model, support, guidance and coaching
- Professional and career development workshops and panels to prepare for their job search
- Scholarships to attend classes full-time and graduate with less student debt, and
- Community to provide a sense of belonging, support, and opportunities to build their network.
Our Freshmen STEM Career Pathways program engages first-year college students, including (but not limited to) first-generation, low-income, women, Black and Latinx students, provides exposure to STEM career opportunities, drives persistence in a STEM major, and is a pipeline to our Scholars program.
Our new Transfer-focused STEM Career Pathways program launched at two California Community Colleges. The goal is to help community college students understand career opportunities in a STEM field and paths to economic mobility, see the value of and feel motivated to earn a bachelor’s degree in a STEM major, and increase the transfer rate to a 4-year university to earn a bachelor’s degree.
Our program extends beyond graduation supporting alumni with a network of corporate leaders and career development opportunities to help advance their careers.
Partnerships and a collective impact model are key to our success. Leading companies sponsor programs, provide internships and mentors, and hire graduates, including Deloitte, Google, Farmers, Qualcomm, Reddit, Sony Pictures Entertainment, U.S. Bank, ADP, Aerospace, Accenture, KPMG, and many more.
Our Impact
STEM Advantage Scholars (since 2012):
- 100% graduation rate – earned a bachelor’s degree
- 100% persistence in a STEM major
- $75,000 average starting salary, a sustainable middle-class living wage (400% increase over average pre-program salary)
STEM Advantage Scholars tell us our program is “life-changing” and empowering with a ripple effect:
- Preparing women and underserved communities for STEM jobs, which pay more, on average, than non-STEM jobs.
- STEM Advantage Scholars earn $75,000 average starting salary, a sustainable middle-class living wage. They can save and invest, afford to live in California, buy a home, and build wealth.
- Alumni “pay it forward” as role models and mentors for siblings and younger students. If they can see it, they can be it.
- Children of alumni will grow-up with an expectation (versus the exception) of going to college.
- This results in a generational impact and clear path to narrow the gender and racial wealth gaps creating financial security and stability for families and redefining the narrative.
Los Angeles Business Journal has honored STEM Advantage as Nonprofit of the Year.
To learn more about how you can help STEM Advantage Scholars, please contact our President & Founder Lee Ann Kline at leeann@stemadvantage.org.