Girls Explore STEM Careers at AAUW Event at Yuba College

MARYSVILLE – Over 700 eighth-grade students seized control of Yuba College’s campus earlier this week to explore various opportunities in STEM fields prior to their enrollment in high school courses.

“What their choices help decide is the type of career they’ll begin with,” stated Martha Bunce, who leads the executive committee for the American Association of University Women Marysville-Yuba City chapter—a female-driven group that initiated this event.

As eighth-graders begin to think about their future careers, the AAUW is concentrating on these students—particularly young girls—and their engagement with fields such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Bunce mentioned that girls do not view themselves as part of STEM fields. It's evident that this area lacks representation from women.

AAUW aims to address this issue. At their yearly STEM conference for eighth-grade girls, students have the opportunity to connect with and gain insights from female professionals working in STEM fields.

“I gained knowledge in car repairs,” stated Amelia, an eighth-grader. “This skill might come in handy later on if you decide to pursue something along those lines.”

"Bunce mentioned that girls return and express surprise, saying they didn’t realize there were girls like them who enjoy this kind of thing," he stated.

The conference has been running for over 25 years. Its main focus is to broaden students' perspectives and introduce them to the various career opportunities available in STEM fields.

The aim of AAUW is to instill in girls the courage to pursue their desires, even if this involves entering fields dominated by males. They have been striving towards this objective for almost 150 years now.

As Bunce mentioned, it all began in 1881," he stated. "Therefore, we demonstrate resilience and pioneering spirit. We remain present and continue our efforts, with plans to persist indefinitely.

This year, twenty-four schools from the Yuba Sutter region are taking part. According to organizers, participation has seen significant growth over recent years. As a result, they have started implementing caps on how many people can attend.

Bunce stated that such excitement indicates we are engaged in work that is both valuable and significant for young females.

The upcoming major event organized by AAUW is their yearly garden tour in May. The proceeds from ticket sales for this tour go towards funding STEM field trips.