EITC Sample Press Release - Idaho's Career Pioneer Network

Conquering the Gender Gap
Conference aims to encourage middle school girls to
pursue non-traditional careers
-Staff Writer-
How can girls break through the glass ceiling? By learning about math, science,
engineering and technology (STEM) careers at the 2012 Expanding Your Horizons
(EYH) conference at Eastern Idaho Technical College (EITC).
Hosted by the Center for New Directions and the Career Pioneer Network, this
day-long conference is aimed at girls in grades sixth through eight. This event will
take place on May 12 and will include hands-on activities and STEM-based
projects. Through these exciting hands-on workshops, young women learn that
exploring male-dominated careers can be fun, rewarding and vital to preparation
for higher education.
“While most girls have met a female nurse or school teacher, fewer have met a chemical
engineer or computer scientist,” says Career Pioneer Network Facilitator Yvonne Perez.
“This initiative is part of a statewide effort to increase enrollment into nontraditional
programs of study at six technical colleges from across the state.”
At the conference, girls will have the opportunity to meet STEM role models from
our community and learn more about careers. EYH’s ultimate goal is to motivate
girls to become innovative and creative thinkers ready to meet 21st century
workforce needs.
By using local volunteers to lead workshops, conference planners and sponsors
including Mountain View Hospital, have been able to reduce the registration fee to
only $5 with scholarships available for low-income students. Parents are welcome
to attend at no charge.
“Only 11% of practicing engineers are women according to the Department of
Labor,” continues Perez. “But the job market both locally and nationally is in need
of highly skilled workers in all careers based on science, technology, engineering
and mathematics (STEM). Plus, although women make up almost half of the U.S.

workforce, they hold only 24% of STEM occupations. We seek to close the gender
gap.”
The event’s keynote speaker is nuclear engineer Dr. Mary Lou Dunzik-Gougar
who has been Assistant Professor of Nuclear Engineering at Idaho State University
(ISU) with joint appointment as a researcher at the Idaho National Laboratory. Her
research interests include the nuclear fuel cycle, systems modeling, spent fuel
processing, and waste form development.
For more information, visit
www.expandingyourhorizons.org/conferences/EYHatEITC or call Cathy at 524-
3000 ext. 3363 or Yvonne at 524-3000 ext. 3609