STEM ADVANTAGE

Employers report being unable to find qualified skilled candidates with more than 1 Million unfilled STEM jobs in California alone, and over 60% requiring a college degree or higher. To keep skilled STEM jobs in the U.S., be competitive and remain a global leader, we need to graduate more students with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills and see them enter the workforce.

We address this skills shortage by focusing on a talent pool that is not being cultivated and leveraged. We selected California State University (CSU) as our first university partner because the CSU is the largest and most ethnically diverse 4-year public university system in the nation. The CSU grants over 50% of all undergraduate degrees earned by California’s Latinx, African American and Native American students. We offer our program to students earning a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field at eight CSU campuses in the greater Los Angeles region, Orange County, and San Diego. All are Hispanic-Serving Institutions.

By focusing on women and underserved communities, we also address gender and racial equity and wealth gaps. Studies show that when you look at the top 1% versus the 99%, the single most important factor that determines inequality among the 99% is the growing returns of a college degree. A bachelor's degree is viewed by many as a baseline individuals need to move into the middle class. While many organizations focus on K-12 education and college access, we focus on college success and persistence to earn a bachelor's degree in a STEM field and graduate “career-ready".

As we grow and scale, we can have a significant impact on the number of diverse STEM graduates entering the workforce. Statistics show that 40-50% of students who enter college intending to major in a STEM field complete a STEM degree; the majority switch to a non-STEM major within the first two years of college. Our program increases the retention rate and, per applicant feedback, is one of the reasons students at select two-year community colleges are transferring to CSU campuses that offer our program to earn a bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline.

To date, STEM Advantage has a 100% graduation and hire rate among its scholars, with many of our scholars receiving full time job offers before they graduate. Our vision is to build a diverse, equitable, and inclusive skilled workforce.

We believe talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not. STEM Advantage mentors, prepares, and inspires women and underserved communities to pursue STEM careers through a holistic program that includes internships, mentors, scholarships, professional development, and community. We provide economic and social mobility to women and other underserved groups, while providing a vetted pipeline of diverse talent to businesses to fill their workforce needs. Our vision is to build a diverse, equitable, and inclusive skilled workforce.

STEM Advantage “levels the playing field” by empowering talented students, who are mostly first-generation college students from low-income families, with access to networks, employment, and economic mobility that is overwhelmingly limited to students attending private or elite public universities. We designed a holistic program that benefits students (“STEM Advantage Scholars”), their families and communities resulting in a generational impact with a clear and immediate path to address the gender and racial wealth gaps.

Our comprehensive program includes:
• Paid internships to help students gain real-world experience
• 1-to-1 Mentors to provide a role model, support, guidance, and coaching
• Scholarships to attend classes full-time and graduate with less student debt
• Professional development and career panels to prepare for their job search, and
• Community providing a sense of belonging, support, and opportunities to build their network.

Our program extends beyond graduation by supporting alumni with a network of corporate leaders and career development opportunities to help them advance in their careers and build wealth. For example, during Women’s History Month, female executives have discussed “From striving to thriving: Navigating your career as a woman in STEM.”

Scholars and alumni “Pay It Forward” as role models and mentors for younger students. If they can see it, they can be it!

We added a Freshmen STEM Career Pathways program to engage first-year college students, especially women, Black and Latinx students, provide exposure to STEM career opportunities, and drive persistence in a STEM major.

We selected California State University (CSU) as our first university partner because the CSU is the largest and most ethnically diverse 4-year public university system in the nation. The CSU grants over 50% of all undergraduate degrees earned by California’s Latinx, African American and Native American students. We offer our program to students earning a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field at eight CSU campuses in the greater Los Angeles region, Orange County, and San Diego. All are Hispanic-Serving Institutions.

STEM Advantage has a committed, active and engaged Board of Directors and Advisory Board comprised of STEM professionals and advocates who understand the issues first-hand and volunteer their time to make a difference. Plus, we have over 200 mentors, who volunteer their time, and a staff of dedicated professionals.

We leverage our professional networks, colleagues and friendships to identify paid internships and mentors. Most of us have been information technology professionals for more than 20 years. We know people who want to make a difference, but they didn't always know how until we created STEM Advantage. We make it easy for people to contribute in a few ways – provide an internship, be a mentor, make a donation to help fund STEM Advantage Scholarships, be a subject matter expert for a professional development or leadership workshop, be on a career panel, and/or participate in our networking events to help students practice their elevator pitch and develop their networking skills.

We have liaisons at the California State University campuses we serve, who facilitate our communication with the students, faculty, clubs/organizations, and administration to help support our program. For example, they distribute information on informational sessions, the application process and timeline.

“The best thing I have done for my future, by far, was apply for the STEM Advantage program. “
- Sirena, Computer Science major, Cal State Fullerton

The Los Angeles Business Journal honored STEM Advantage as Diversity, Inclusion + Equity Nonprofit of the Year (2021).

STEM Advantage celebrated our 10th Anniversary in 2022.

Impact since 2012:
• 100% graduation rate with persistence in a STEM major
• 750 Scholars
• 52% women
• 87% students of color
• 72% first-generation college students from low-income families
• Over $1.9 million in scholarships awarded
• $75,000 average starting salary upon graduation, a sustainable, middle class living wage (a 400% increase over their average pre-program salary)

Partnerships and a collective impact model are key to our success. Leading companies sponsor programs, provide internships and mentors, and hire graduates, including Accenture, Deloitte, Farmers, Google, Qualcomm, and Sony Pictures Entertainment. Professional and industry organization partners include Southern California Society for Information Management and Women in Technology Hollywood.