Upper Marlboro, MD – Girls Action Network, Inc. is pleased to announce and salute its 2022 GAN Scholars, London Beatty (Washington, DC), Samantha Lopez (New York, NY) and Kassy Patino (Newark, NJ), as the newest members selected for the GAN Summer STEM Enrichment Program (SSEP).
Each GAN Scholar was provided a full tuition scholarship to attend the four-week-long Smith College Summer Science & Engineering Program in Northampton, MA where she’ll receive the unique opportunity to participate in innovative curricula in astronomy, biology, biochemistry, chemistry, computer science, engineering, and physics. The Smith program also promotes global cultural learning and appreciation due to the number of student participants who come from all over the world. The $22,000 scholarship funding for the 2022 GAN Scholars was made possible by Girls Action Network, Inc. and Smith College.
GAN is a grassroots organization focused on social transformation to educate and empower middle and high school girls, with special emphasis on those from underserved communities. At the core of GAN’s mission, the realization is that girls commonly are directed towards traditional careers, away from, for example, science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers. Further, it’s easy for girls to get discouraged or feel like they don’t belong in a STEM field where they don’t see many people who look like them.
Reaching beyond single mentoring, GAN Founder, Elisa Basnight of Upper Marlboro, Maryland comments that “GAN strives to create a myriad of innovative programs and experiences, some in partnership with other organizations (business, military, nonprofits), designed to show girls their expansive career and educational choices at a time when, research consistently shows that ‘education for girls is one of the most effective – if not the most effective investment a nation can make to improve the health and prosperity of present and future generations.‘” The GAN Summer STEM Enrichment Program is led by the dedicated efforts of Tangiah Wright, Esq., GAN Scholar ’04 & ‘05, Vice President, Community Outreach & Scholarships.
For more information, please visit www.girlsactionnetwork.org.