Empowering Women in STEM 

In early 2024, the SUNY Poly Foundation received a $10,000 grant from the Women’s Fund of Herkimer and Oneida Counties to establish a mentorship program aimed at supporting first-year female students in STEM disciplines. This initiative connects students with mentors, including faculty, staff, alumni, and local female professionals, to provide guidance and foster a supportive community.  

The program specifically targets students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds enrolled in various STEM programs at SUNY Poly. The grant funds professional development for mentors, employs a part-time coordinator to oversee the program, and facilitates networking opportunities for participants.  

The mentorship program has entered its second year, continuing to provide invaluable support to first-year female STEM students. Participants engage in activities such as crafting vision boards and attending sessions with life coaches to help them set and achieve personal and academic goals.  

Emily Ditton, a freshman studying Civil Engineering Technology, shared her experience: “Being able to figure out what I want with my life, what I want with this semester, what I want to get out of my college experience and what I want to be able to prepare myself for. It’s kind of interesting to be able to take a step back and just be able to craft a visual representation of that.”  

Mentors like Jasminka Husic, a SUNY Poly graduate and CFO of the New York State Technology Enterprise Corporation (NYSTEC), emphasize the importance of such programs: “It’s an amazing opportunity for somebody like me and many of my colleagues to give back to SUNY Poly and to the students and to share some of our experiences to guide them and to offer encouragement.”  

The mentorship program at SUNY Poly exemplifies a successful collaboration between educational institutions and community organizations, striving to empower and retain women in STEM fields. 

To view Spectrum News’ recent coverage of the program, click here.