Mount Saint Mary’s University will host its 2nd Annual STEM Expo: Endless Possibilities Await on March 12 from Noon to 2:30 p.m. at its Chalon Campus, located at 12001 Chalon Road in Los Angeles. The event will connect students to professionals in the math, technology, science, and health professions.
“We invited Cerritos and ELAC, I just invited West L.A. and our grant has a partnership with El Camino so they are invited as well,” MSMU STEM Adviser Sandy Chavez said. “I would like for the students, any student from which-ever institution they come from, to benefit from this opportunity and network.”
Representatives from organiza-tions like USC’s programs in bio-medical and biological sciences, UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health, UCSB graduate division, California Hospital Volunteer Services, Latinas in STEM and Boeing will be available.
“The students will be able to visit with an array of speakers and recruiters who will provide them with in-depth information on issues ranging from the medical school curriculum, career exploration, graduate admission requirements, financial aid, MCAT and GRE preparation, and research and employment opportunities,” Chavez said. “This will be an interactive event where different participants will be tabling and students will be moving around the various tables to gain insight into different career path-ways within the STEM fields.”
The STEM Expo began last year through funds made avail-able by a Title III Grant that ends in 2016. Last year’s expo hosted 20 representatives and attracted many students within the MSMU community.
“Originally the plan was for us to have the expo for our STEM participants but we ended up thinking that we should invite the Mount community and it turned out to be successful,” Chavez said. “We had a good turnout and a lot of positive feedback; the students loved it so that is why when the time came to do it this year, I set some goals.”
One of those goals set was having more STEM representatives, which the organizers were able to accomplish as they are expecting 36 different institutions and organizations to attend.
“We are a very unique campus, with a program that serves all women, and there is a need for and a high interest to get women in STEM,” Chavez said. “The girls deserve this. We don’t know what will happen after the Title III Grant ends in the Fall of 2016 so the goal is for the Mount to institutionalize this program so the STEM Expo can continue for the STEM students.”
Persons interested in attending the Expo or with questions can email Chavez at: schavez@msmu.edu.