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TU Portal STEM

About Us

Our Partnership with Burrough Wellcome Fund (Bwf), biogen foundation, and duke energy

The NC Society of Hispanic Professionals (NCSHP) is delighted to announce the receipt of a grant from Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF), Biogen Foundation, and Duke Energy which will allow organizations to have the opportunity to increase interest and have a positive impact in STEAM career awareness and selection, among Hispanic youth in North Carolina. Through this collaboration, an effective outreach strategy will be implemented that will enhance BWF’s Biogen Foundation, Duke Energy, and NCSHP’s efforts of increasing diversity and inclusive representation of Hispanic students in STEAM. This focused effort and collaboration will generate a pipeline of Hispanic students enrolled in STEAM programs and on-track for future careers in STEAM fields.

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A number of culturally sensible strategies and activities, including the launching of the “Tu Portal STEM” portal at the NCSHP website, will be implemented specifically focused on generating student interest and engagement with STEAM education. As part of our efforts, we will provide information to these students and their parents on the available opportunities for students to participate in STEAM-oriented programs, including the sites funded by the BWF as part of their “Science Student Enrichment Program” every year, and any other available STEM in-school, afterschool, and summer programs, as well as we will provide support to navigate the NC STEM Center website (ncstemcenter.org) with information for Spanish-speaking parents. A STEM Spanish Hotline will also be launched as part of this project and hosted at NCSHP headquarters.

“For over 20 years, BWF has provided support for STEM enrichment through grant programming to non-profit organizations across the state. We have high hopes that this strategic diversity initiative will have an impact by increasing STEM programming exposure, engagement, and enrollment among Hispanic youth in NC”

Alfred Mays, BWF Program Officer

“The NCSHP is very grateful to BWF for awarding this important grant to our organization. This partnership will allow us to bring to the Hispanic students and their parents information and tools they need to think on STEM fields as future careers of their choice. Thinking out-of- the box regarding typical outreach efforts, our plan is to bring this information to Hispanic students and their parents wherever they are, including community festivals and fairs, educational conferences, and outreach events.”

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Marco Zárate, Former President and Co-founder of the NCSHP

NCSHP is honored to partner with Biogen Foundation and Duke Energy Foundation and their support to the TuPortalSTEM initiative in late 2019
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Hispanics in Stem

Did you know?​

  • 1 million jobs will be STEM related by 2022.

  • Hispanics in the US workforce have grown to 15%, yet Hispanics only account for 6.5% of the workforce in STEM careers.

  • Thousands of jobs in technology are not being filled because of a lack of talented and qualified workforce.

These three steps can help prepare you for a future STEM career!

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  1. Experience STEM! – Enroll in a STEM summer program or STEM after-school program, participate in robotics competitions, or attend a local STEM workshop.

  2. Volunteer in your community – Local museums and parks or summer internships can be great exposure to different STEM careers.

  3. Prepare for college- Study up! Focus on math and science and take classes that will challenge you. Also, remember that your SAT & ACT scores will be important when applying to college.

“To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle, requires creative imagination and marks a real advance in science.”

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Albert Einstein

What is STEAM?

STEAM is shorthand for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. It can refer to the individual fields of science, technology, engineering, and math, but it’s usually used to refer to the integrated way subjects in these fields are applied to each other in education. STEAM education is a blossoming movement not just in the United States, but around the world.

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In our smart car and social media era, technology has become pervasive- it affects almost every aspect of our daily lives. As our home and work lives become more intertwined with technology, STEAM skills, and knowledge become more important for all types of individuals (not just scientists and mathematicians). Skills such as troubleshooting your computer problems or designing a flyer for your school club have become everyday abilities that most people possess.

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“In the 21st century, scientific and technological innovations have become increasingly important as we face the benefits and challenges of both globalization and a knowledge-based economy. To succeed in this new information-based and highly technological society, students need to develop their capabilities in STEAM to levels much beyond what was considered acceptable in the past.” (National Science Foundation)

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For these reasons, STEAM-focused education programs are created to increase students’ interest in pursuing higher education and careers in those fields.

What is the NC STEM CENTER?

The NC STEM Center is a web portal for all things related to SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, and MATHEMATICS (STEM) education in North Carolina. It’s a tool you and your family can use to find useful information about the importance of STEAM education, resources and knowledge that organizations throughout the state have shared, and individuals who have similar interests. You can use its statewide program database to find high-quality and engaging STEAM programs tailored to your interests and other opportunities close to your area.

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Why use it?

The NC STEM Center is the place you can find a wealth of resources from across the state on the same website. NC STEM Center compiled a searchable database of STEM programs so you wouldn’t have to search for programs one-by-one. Instead, you can use the convenient filter system to find the programs that are closest to you or a specific topic that you would like to explore. For example, if you’re in Durham County and you’re interested in computer science programs, you could enter your zip code in the designated area and click on “computer science.” This will bring you a completed search of all programs that match your interest.

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What you should know about NC STEM Center:

The NC STEM Center was created in collaboration with the North Carolina Science, Mathematics and Technology Education Center, the Public Schools of North Carolina, The University of North Carolina, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, and Creating Success NC Community Colleges in order to provide NC students with reliable, easily accessible information about STEM education, programs, and opportunities.

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