PPG leaders join ‘Female Focus’ to inspire future STEM scholars

Published : 18-May-2021

Do I belong in STEM? According to the Neighborhood Academy, a college preparatory school whose mission is to break the cycle of generational poverty, this is often a question that influences girls’ motivation to learn and persist in science, technology, education and mathematics (STEM) areas.

The PPG Foundation and Neighborhood Academy, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, teamed up for Female Focus, a 14-week STEM program designed to inspire high school girls to engage in hands-on STEM activities and career exploration.

Neighborhood Academy assistant head of school for academics, Brent Jernigan, shared that the need for this program is clear in that Black women are nearly invisible in STEM fields. “From mindsets rooted in stereotypes that girls should not pursue careers dominated by men, to isolation and lack of inclusivity of women in STEM fields to a lack of academic advising, sadly girls often do not to pursue math and science classes, let alone careers, despite their aptitude for their subjects,” he said.

The Female Focus program is in direct response to this need and will provide an opportunity for the female students to partake in collaborative STEM-learning, while building confidence and meeting female professionals in STEM fields.

Several Black, female PPG leaders are serving as Female Focus volunteers to share their education and career journeys and insights on their roles at PPG and to answer questions from the students.

For Selamawit Belli, PPG global product Director, adjacent markets, automotive OEM, meeting virtually with the Female Focus students is important to ensure the next generation of diverse STEM leaders and to increase the representation of women among professional and student populations.

“With a background in mechanical engineering, I was inspired early in my career by fellow female colleagues and mentors,” said Belli. “The Female Focus program is especially impactful because not only will the girls experience STEM concepts in real-world settings, but they can relate their learnings to the industry by meeting with PPG professionals.”

The PPG Foundation’s partnership with the Neighborhood Academy comes as part of PPG’s commitment to invest $20 million by 2025 to address systemic racism and advance racial equity in the U.S. by funding educational pathways for Black communities and people of color. To learn more about this investment, click here