Hey, y'all,

Guess what time it is? It’s college application season! And apart from dealing with various essay submissions and the common app, the simple question of “What do you want to study in school?” or “What do you want to be when you grow up?” can feel super daunting. Well, that’s where we come in to help!

Our STEM Works For Me campaign helps you realize that you could quite literally get paid to follow your passions and pursue a career in STEM. Students are often unaware of the various STEM careers available to them and don’t even realize it could be a course they study in school. Many don’t “see” themselves represented in the field, making it hard to feel like they belong. And, what’s so cool is that STEM goes beyond just lab coats and beakers! Of course, you can pursue a career as a chemist or software developer. But you could find a new passion and become a gameplay engineer, zoologist, or underwater archeologist!

Take our quiz today to help kickstart your STEM career and help diversify the field (you’ll even enter to win a $2,500 scholarship)! 

Let’s Do This!

DoSomething

Here’s the problem: 

Only 15% of the scientists and engineers in the US are women, and only 20% are Black, Hispanic, or Native American. According to this study from nonprofit 100Kin10, STEM education has largely prioritized the work of white men, while minimizing, omitting, or perpetuating harmful stereotypes about the knowledge and contributions of STEM leaders of color.

Here’s where you come in: 

Take our quiz to figure out which STEM careers best suits you based on your interests and personality! Be sure to share your findings with your friend(s) to activate them to find their dream STEM career too! 

These DoSomething members have taken our quiz and are helping to diversify the STEM field. And better yet, they’re encouraging their friends to find their dream STEM careers too!

Check out a few of our favorites from the STEM Works For Me campaign: 

“This campaign is important to me because it opened up my eyes to more opportunities that match my personality and work type. I have always had an interest in STEM careers, and some of the jobs I was suggested were very new to me,” said DoSomething member Giavanna, 16. “However, it made me realize that there are many careers I can pursue, and I do not have to conform to the idea that I need to be a nurse or doctor like my Filipino counterparts.” 

“Throughout my high school career, I have always sought to insert myself into primarily male-dominated fields and positions. Since my freshman year, I have devoted myself to debate, which at one point didn’t even let women participate, Future Business Leaders of America, Honor Society, Student Council, and more,” said DoSomething member Taylor, 17.  “I wish to bring this mindset to college with me as I plan to go into either coding or the medical field, both male-dominated industries. For me, my passion lies in something that can challenge me intellectually. This is why I feel that this scholarship and the do something campaigns for environmental, racial, and gender equality are so important to our future. They help us to recognize our dreams.”

“This campaign is important to me because we need the intellectuals of our society more than ever due to the current state of our world. We need immunologists, pathologists, doctors, nurses that can help with helping the world recover from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said DoSomething member Steven, 17.  “Additionally, with the rising problem of overpopulation, urban degradation, and worldwide pollution, we need engineers, molecular chemists, biologists, and climatologists to help the human race recover from itself.”

Join Giavanna, Taylor, and Steven in helping to diversify the STEM field and find a career based on your passions and interests!  

Our heroes today are...these six Native TikTok creators who are shedding light on contemporary Indigenous cultures. The perfect way to wrap up Native American Heritage Month!  

We want to hear from you...DoSomething is entering an exciting strategic planning process and we want to hear from you--our members--on how we can best know you, build campaigns and programming that speak to you, and activate you to make a difference short- and long-term! Take our quick, ten minute survey and help shape the future of DoSomething. 

Tomorrow in HERstory...66 years ago, on December 1, Rosa Parks helped initiate the Civil Rights Movement when she refused to give up her seat to a White man on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Because of her actions, the Montgomery Bus Boycott began, led by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and ended with the Supreme Court ruling that bus segregation was illegal.

Accepted into your dream college? Awesome! Now, let’s talk about scholarships. 

Complete a free profile on CollegeXpress and answer one question: What’s the most difficult part about searching for scholarships?

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