Pittsburgh Review

The Pennsylvania Commission for Women held the second annual National STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Day Event at the Pennsylvania State Museum, highlighting these high-paying careers for women.

According to a news release from Gov. Wolf's office on Nov. 16, the day of the event, 15 women submitted videos describing their STEM careers in Pennsylvania. They spoke about their education, how they got involved with STEM and their reasons for going this route. These videos are all posted on the Commission for Women website and YouTube. 

“Our commission is so excited to be hosting our second annual National STEM Day event. One of our priorities is to increase the number of women in STEM careers in Pennsylvania. This project allows girls and young women to explore STEM opportunities,” Commission for Women Executive Director Moriah Hathaway said. 

She stressed the importance of enlightening young girls to the career prospects in STEM.

“We wanted to introduce girls at an early age to STEM opportunities, so they are more likely to enjoy STEM subjects and feel empowered to consider a career in STEM," she said. "We are hoping that the girls feel inspired by the videos that were sent in and can envision themselves enjoying similar jobs in their future.”

The Girl Scouts of the Heart of Pennsylvania also participated for the second straight year, and the activities helped the Scouts to earn badges.

“We are very excited to be a part of National STEM Day for the second year in a row and the activities being held at the State Museum on Nov. 16,” Janet Donovan, president and CEO of Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania, said. “As one of the four pillars in Girl Scouting, STEM programs – girl-focused STEM programs — lead to critical thinkers, better grades and the foundation for a successful future. We are so proud to be part of that experience.”

Gov. Tom Wolf said that as long as racial and gender gaps exist in STEM education and careers, the state will not live up to its potential. He thanked the Commission for Women for its work.

“We need to take a strategic approach to ensure that today’s students and workers have the skills they need for tomorrow’s jobs,” Gov. Wolf said. “That’s why, in 2018, I launched the PAsmart initiative, which introduced STEM and computer science programs into hundreds of schools, and helped bridge the gap between the classroom and well-paying jobs by building a new apprenticeship program.”

First Lady Frances Wolf said that women in STEM continue to help move Pennsylvania forward while keeping industries competitive. 

“We know that science, technology, engineering and mathematics are the future, and it is imperative that we keep preparing our young women for these jobs,” First Lady Wolf said. “I commend the Commission for Women for their commitment to promoting the ideas and innovation of Pennsylvania’s women and ensuring our girls know they have a place in these fields.” 

• Lesli Kunkle, Wolfgang Confectioners, director of food safety and quality
• Tonya Nye, Wolfgang Confectioners, vice president of customer care
• Michelle Finch, Wolfgang Confectioners, senior director of work force development
• Danielle Klein, The ButterBee Foundation, founder/ executive director
• Arianna Sindelar, Lancaster County Department of Parks and Recreation, park naturalist
• Hannah Smith-Brubaker, Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, executive director
• Katrin Hillner, PCN (PC Network Inc.), president and CEO
• Jen Fetter, Penn State Extension, Water Resources
• Joyce Sakamoto, Penn State University, assistant research professor
• Becca Refford, Chariot Solutions, Design and Marketing
• Margarita Uribe-Lopez, Penn State University, professor
• Johnna Goble, Shippensburg University, mathematics professor
• Jodi Gauker, Chester County Economic Development Council, agriculture project director
• Crystal Daughtry, Delta Airlines, mechanic
• Wendy Jackson-Dowe, Sky Pix Group, president, engineer, Federal Aviation Administration-certified drone pilot
• Tracy Langkilde, Penn State Eberly College of Science, Verne M. Willaman dean
• Kishi Qiang, Kulicke and Soffa Industries Inc., engineer