Our Mission
The Athena Fellowship is designed to empower future female leaders in STEM by igniting students' passions and introducing them to opportunities within STEM from an early age. High school is a pivotal period in a student’s development and is often the age when many young girls start losing interest in STEM.
We have spoken to many young girls in this age range, and keep hearing similar stories and challenges:
Lack of role models. When girls do not see examples of other young women excelling in STEM, it is hard for them to envision themselves pursuing these fields.
Confidence Gap. Many girls begin losing interest in STEM when they perceive themselves as ‘falling behind’ their peers, who are often boys introduced to STEM at much earlier ages.
Internalized Stereotypes. In social circles, it is often not ‘cool’ for girls to be good at or like STEM. Starting in middle school and high school, girls can start to feel like STEM is not for them.
Male-Dominated Cultures. Many STEM spaces and activities are still heavily male-dominated. We have heard all too many stories from younger girls where they were one of the few girls (if not the only!) on their robotics team, in their advanced physics class, or at math competitions.
The Athena Fellowship is designed to address these challenges girls face. We want to connect girls with role models they can relate to and be inspired by. We want to build confidence in girls by exposing them to STEM subjects early on. We want to show girls that liking STEM can be ‘cool.’ And most importantly, we want girls to feel like STEM can be for them.
Ultimately, the fellowship is a collection of all the resources, support, and guidance we wish we had in high school. We want to teach students everything we wish we knew back when we were in their shoes, so they know how to navigate challenges, realize that they are never alone, and have the mindset and all the skills they need to thrive in high school, college, and beyond -- no matter what path they choose to pursue.
❤️, The Athena Team
