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| An Update From Judith. |
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The
GRITS Collaborative has had an exciting first year. The
site visit on the Middle Tennessee State University campus was a
success with over 70 state and local organizations in attendance.
We also assisted the MTSU WISE (Women In Science and Engineering)
student organization with the All Girl After School Science Club.
We made several presentations at local and national professional
meetings about our "new southern tradition" which is to encourage and
support girls in STEM education and careers. GRITS sponsored a
video conference, titled "Women Digging In The Dirt" for high school
girls and their teacher, Jenny Garland, MTSU graduate, from Columbia
Central High School and for others across Tennessee. The GRITS
Collaborative hosted its Kick-Off event on September 26, 2009 which is
remembered by all for our outstanding programs and for the tornado
drill! We also helped with the new Expanding Your Horizons
Conference at the University of Memphis in October and held the 12th
EYH for middle school girls at MTSU. GRITS is known for
hosting the GRITS-EYH for high school girls, now planning our 3rd
conference which is held jointly with the MTSU EYH and planned for
October 24, 2009. We also attended an Assessment Workshop
sponsored by SWE (Society of Women Engineers) and by the NCGP home
office. We will be sharing this new knowledge with our GRITS
Collaborative partners in early 2009.
We
could not have accomplished as that we did for EYH, GRITS and the GRITS
Collaborative without the hard work and dedication of Lacey
Fleming. Lacey is an archaeologist who has a passion for her work
and for encouraging girls in STEM. She did a fantastic job as the
assistant director of GRITS since April 2008. Her love of
archaeology and of learning and several conversations about graduate
school with her mentors has helped her make the decision to go to
graduate school to continue her studies in her field. We are
already missing her enthusiasm in the GRITS office.
We
want to welcome Cacy DeSheles as the new assistant director of
GRITS. She is already in the GRITS pipeline, having served as the
program coordinator since April 2008. She is also the President
of WISE and a junior majoring in biology with a concentration in animal
science. Cacy is already planning a video conference with a focus
on Green Chemistry for March 17, 2009.
Finally
as we close this year, I want to thank everyone on the GRITS Leadership
Team and Champions Board for their support of Tennessee girls in
STEM. Raising girls in Tennessee science is tough. However
the GRITS Collaborative team with the support of the NGCP leaders and
AAUW members will be successful with all efforts to nurture Girls
Raised In Tennessee Science.
Happy Holidays,
Judith M. Iriarte-Gross, Ph.D.
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| A Word from Lacey ... |
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Since
April, I have had the pleasure of serving as the GRITS Assistant
Director, and it is with great sadness that I
announce my resignation. It was an incredibly difficult
decision to make, but I am returning to my career in
archaeology, and will begin graduate school in fall 2009.
My departure comes at what is an exciting time for the
Collaborative as a whole: the first GRITS Collaborative Annual Meeting
will take place in 2009; and the first Mini-Grants will be awarded in
the coming year.
Cacy DeSheles, GRITS Program Coordinator, will be moving
into the position of Assistant Director. She is a devoted
and enthusiastic supporter of girls' and women's involvement
in STEM, and is already very familiar with the day-to-day
activities of the GRITS Collaborative. Please welcome her to her
new role by sending an email or giving her a call in the GRITS
office!
The GRITS Collaborative is making serious positive change in
Tennessee by communicating with people who have the most impact on
girls: their parents, educators, and mentors. I thank each of you for
your efforts to foster girls' interest in STEM, as well as to promote
gender equity in STEM education and careers. I hope you will continue
to "fight the good fight"--I know I will!
Sincerely,
Lacey S. Fleming
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| ... and a Word from Cacy |
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Since
2006 I have been involved in the activities of the student organization
Women In Science and Engineering (WISE), as well as the MTSU Expanding
Your Horizons, and the All Girl After School Science Club. It is
through these programs that I have been able to turn my passion for
science into a project that expands the passion and excitement for
science to younger women, such as middle and high school girls.
This
year, I serve as the president of WISE. The leadership skills I
have gained from this position have given me the resources to promote
the need for women in STEM, and it has become my objective to help
spread these resources.
As
the new Assistant Director of GRITS, this objective will be easier to
attain. I am very excited to be serving this in position.
The coming year for GRITS will be a successful one, and I will help to
make this happen. As the GRITS Collaborative expands its program
even more across Tennessee, its resources will become larger, and
there will be more girls who will become involved in STEM.
Lacey
worked very hard to be the best Assistant Director for GRITS, and I
will be sad to no longer get to work with her. However, I am
honored to be working with you all in 2009 in spreading the GRITS
Collaborative. This will be an excellent year for GRITS, and for
the team as well.
Sincerely,
Cacy DeSheles |
| Upcoming Events... |
| There will be a Leadership Team meeting at the beginning of the year. Please keep an eye out for a date for the meeting.
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