THEME: The Role of Mentorship in the Development of STEM Enthusiasts and Professionals 

Hosted by MassBay Community College

Speakers

Valerie Kapilow - STEM Mentor Program Director at MassBay Community College
MassBay’s STEM Mentor Program: A partnership with industry promoting STEM students’ academic and career success

The STEM Mentor Program at MassBay brings together MassBay STEM students and STEM industry professionals to facilitate one-on-one mentoring relationships throughout the course of the academic year.  The mentees are an incredibly diverse group of students, many are excelling academically, have college degrees from foreign countries, and/or are from groups underrepresented in STEM fields; students of color, first-generation to college, female, veterans, or low-income students. Our mentors are affiliated with a variety of local, private, government and other companies across the region. The program provides substantive, skills-based and networking programs throughout the year. Currently in its fourth year of operation, the program is funded by Sanofi Genzyme, MathWorks and STEM Starter Academy.  

Jessica Haggett - MySTEM & Corporate Program Director at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass / Metrowest
Mentoring Works: Little Acts Make a Big Difference
This presentation will discuss how mentoring creates positive impacts on youth and their communities by building strong and enduring friendships that change their lives for the better, forever. Learn how the power of mentoring can be leveraged to improve outcomes in STEM, with a focus on Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass' innovative program MySTEM.

Thomas Faulkner - Director, CAD Manufacturing and Director of the Student Co-op Program at ConforMIS, Inc
Providing Co-ops with Real World Experience
In 2011, the new Professional Co-op program at UMass Lowell and ConforMIS, a medical device company which designs and manufactures patient specific knee implants, teamed up to develop the company’s first, on-site co-op program. Starting with just 2 co-op students during the summer of 2011, ConforMIS has provided strong learning experiences for more than 26 UMass Lowell engineering undergraduate students. This presentation will provide an overview of the co-op initiative, discuss the structure of the program, how the mentorship works, and what we are hoping the co-ops learn from the time they spend at ConforMIS. It is a learning experience for every co-op, so we try to make it as “Real World” as possible for each and every student and we will present some highlights of activities we do to accomplish that.

Networking opportunities available. This meeting is FREE and open to the public.

RSVP

DRIVING DIRECTIONS to the WELLESLEY CAMPUS
http://www.massbay.edu/Contact-and-Directions/Wellesley-Hills-Campus.aspx
You do not need a parking permit for this event.

Directions to the Wellesley Campus Library Atrium (2nd floor)
All guests should enter MassBay through the main entrance (the rotary with the flag pole). Walk down the hallway. On your left side you will see an elevator and stairs.  If you enter the Cafeteria you have gone too far. Go to the second floor.  When you exit the elevator, go diagonally to your left. You will see the library circulation desk on your right. To the left of the circulation desk you will see glass doors-this is the Library Atrium