Kaylee Liu
Contributing Writer
Wooster has long championed equality in its educational history — it opened as a co-educational institution in 1866, the year it was founded. This year, The College of Wooster was named as a national leader in female graduates that go on to earn doctorates in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) using data from a Council of Independent Colleges report. Furthermore, the College was recognized with the “Inspiring Program in STEM” award from INSIGHT Diversity magazine.
Breaking down the data from the magazine, roughly 35 percent of all Wooster students earn a bachelor’s degree in an area of STEM. To support this population of students, Wooster’s STEM Scholar Zone, located in Severance Hall, provides peer mentorship, collaborative teaching and learning opportunities. Faculty are involved in helping students learn in the STEM Scholar Zone as well. Speaking to some STEM majors, most of them indicated that they went to the STEM Scholar Zone on average between two to five times a week, stating that it was a good place to focus on STEM-related work especially due to peer support available.
Since STEM has a reputation for being a field dominated by men, minority support is extremely important to the faculty at Wooster. The STEM Success Initiative (SSI) is a group at Wooster that aims at providing support to struggling students through the STEM Scholar Zone, and it aims to support inclusive teaching and community building that allow minority students to feel more comfortable and competent in such an intimidating field. The Minorities in STEM club at Wooster is also an integral part of this equation.
Through these combined efforts, it’s easy to see why women in STEM at Wooster can thrive. Not only do they have excellent access to peer and mentor support, but both faculty and other students make consistent efforts to provide an inclusive and supportive atmosphere geared towards improving the learning experience of all STEM students. The Council of Independent Colleges’ June report noted that Wooster performed exceptionally in preparing underrepresented students in STEM for further education and success as well. Data wise, The College of Wooster was ranked 21st among female graduates between 2007 to 2016 who are recipients of doctorates in STEM fields.
Maya Tawil ’21, the president of Women in STEM (WiSTEM), helped to provide a positive and illuminating perspective on the efforts to create an inclusive and supportive environment. While she admitted that “it is undeniable that women in STEM fields face barriers that prevent them from reaching their full potential,” she continued on to say that the “recent report made [her] proud not only to be a woman in STEM but to also be a College of Wooster student because [she knows that she has] the resources and support that [she needs] to reach [her] goals.”
This year marks Tawil’s second year in a leadership role in WiSTEM and as an upperclassman, she felt “as though [she has] the responsibility to further extend support for women in all fields of STEM.” Tawil “strive[s] to create a space where women in STEM can connect with one another and share [their] advice, ideas and journeys.” She is hopeful to increase awareness about female contributions to STEM as well.
This semester, WiSTEM will be hosting a screening “of the National Geographic documentary ‘Jane’ that highlights the life work of the primatologist, Jane Goodall,” a luminary in the field whose contributions have not only changed primatology but have also made massive improvements in the realms of animal welfare and conservation. Tawil is enthusiastic about the future of WiSTEM too — she’s “excited to see [WiSTEM] grow and reach more people!”
STEM at The College of Wooster continues to be an integral part of not only its liberal arts ethic and dedication to holistic education, but also to its dedication to inclusivity and equality for all. The incredible accomplishments of Wooster women in STEM fields make both the college and student body proud, and we hope their success will help to pave the way for future female STEM graduates, scientists, doctors and inventors.