STEM Advantage

Thank you, PENNYMAC!  We are incredibly grateful to Pennymac for donating 25 laptops to STEM Advantage Scholars! A special thank you to Kisha Parker Croom, JD/MBA, Grace Lin, and Pennymac's Corporate Philanthropy Program for your partnership. These laptops will support our Scholars as they tackle coursework, complete projects, and prepare for their future careers. We are also honored to have so many Pennymac employees serve as STEM Advantage mentors, investing their time, expertise, and encouragement in our Scholars. Sharing a few photos from the day! #STEMAdvantage #Pennymac #STEMEducation #FutureSTEMLeaders #CollegeSuccess #CareerReadiness #StudentSuccess

We are incredibly proud that four STEM Advantage team members, alumni, and mentors were nominated for the Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2026 Women’s Leadership Awards. Their leadership, mentorship, passion, and advocacy exemplify the meaningful impact one person can make. Congratulations to our amazing nominees!   Jasmyn M., Director of Career Programs at STEM Advantage Shawna Gale, Manager of IT Organizational Change Management at Mattel, Inc.; STEM Advantage Mentor Lauren Gautschi, Water Resources Engineer and M.S. Graduate Student at California State University, Long Beach; STEM Advantage Alumna and Mentor Danielle Yamane, Manager of Security Operations at The Trade Desk; STEM Advantage Alumna, Board Member, and Mentor Congratulations to all the Nominees and THANK YOU to EVERYONE who is making a difference for our talented Scholars! We appreciate YOU! #STEMAdvantage #WomenInLeadership #WomenInSTEM #Leadership #Mentorship #FutureLeaders #STEMEducation #WomenWhoLead #LosAngelesBusinessJournal #STEMCareers

Congratulations to our STEM Advantage Class of 2026! 🎓 Through dedication, resilience, and a commitment to their goals, these students have reached an important milestone and are ready to make their mark on the world. We are proud to have been part of their journey and look forward to seeing all they accomplish in the years ahead. Today's graduates. Tomorrow's leaders. Forever STEM Advantage. 💜 Sharing just a few of our scholars below👇 #STEMAdvantage #ClassOf2026 #STEMEducation #FutureLeaders #CollegeGraduates

Last week, Lee Ann Kline and STEM Advantage mentor Kevin Gray had the honor of attending the hooding ceremony of Dr. Charles Bickham at the University of Southern California. Moments like these are a reminder of why this work matters: the ripple effect of mentorship, opportunity, and sustained belief in emerging talent. While Charles Bickham is no longer a STEM Advantage scholar, he is part of our growing alumni network—one that continues to succeed and pay it forward by volunteering with the organization and mentoring new scholars. Congratulations again, Charles! #STEMAdvantage #USC

Introducing Dr. Charles Bickham, Ph.D! 🎓🎉👏 This week, our team gathered at the University of Southern California to celebrate one of our STEM Advantage alumnus as he defended his doctoral dissertation—a groundbreaking study on social media, algorithms, and their impact on eating disorders. His research aims to create safer online environments, strengthen mental health support systems, and inform policies that move beyond surface-level content moderation toward real change. We are so proud of Dr. Bickham, and our team members in attendance—Lee Ann Kline, Jasmyn M., Isala Gray, and his STEM Advantage mentor Kevin Gray—were grateful to have been part of this moment. Congratulations from the entire STEM Advantage team! 💜 #STEMAdvantage #STEM #NextGenLeaders #RepresentationMatters

This Volunteer Appreciation Week, we are overwhelmed with gratitude for the incredible people who give their time and expertise to our scholars. The faces you see here represent just a few of our more than 200 dedicated volunteers. To every mentor, advisor, and supporter who shows up for our students: you are the backbone of what we do. Thank you! 💜 #VolunteerAppreciationWeek #STEMAdvantage #MentorshipMatters

Members of our team and a few alumni took part in the Los Angeles County Office of Education’s 10th Annual Engaging Girls in STEM event at the Los Angeles Zoo, where we connected with middle and high school students and introduced them to careers in STEM and opportunities within STEM Advantage. Students also heard from an inspiring panel of professionals across industries, from aerospace to entomology, highlighting the many pathways available in STEM. It was an energizing day of curiosity, exploration, and possibility. 🔬🚀 #STEMAdvantage #WomenInSTEM #GirlsInSTEM #STEMEducation #STEMCareers #FutureLeaders #STEMOpportunities #STEMInspiration

Yesterday, we gathered with our incredible STEM Advantage alumni at Cali Smash for an afternoon of pickleball, complete with a lesson and some friendly competition 🎾 It was great to see alumni reconnect, meet new people, and continue building their networks. We also had the chance to spend time with scholars, hear what they’re working on, and learn more about what’s ahead for them. Events like this create space for real connection and community. When you support STEM Advantage, you’re supporting a community that shows up for each other—during the program and long after 💜 #STEMAdvantage #AlumniNetwork #Networking #Community #STEM #FutureLeaders

STEM Advantage scholars had the incredible opportunity to visit Netflix Animation Studios and what a powerful day it was. Our scholars saw firsthand the intersection of STEM and storytelling. From understanding the animation production pipeline to exploring the wide range of technical and creative roles involved in bringing an animated feature to life, the visit expanded what felt possible. 🎬💜 We are especially grateful to our guest speakers Grazia Como, Caterina Fenucci, and Oliver Hilbert, whose insight, expertise, and generosity in answering scholars’ questions helped illuminate the realities of production scheduling, project development, and the many ways STEM skills translate into careers within the animation industry. Their guidance made it easier for our scholars to see tangible pathways into the creative space. One of the most impactful parts of the day was a thoughtfully curated panel featuring: Rebecca Ballesteros, Production Coordinator
 Andrea Hurtado, Executive Assistant to the COO and ERG Lead for SOMOS
 Jorge R. Gutierrez, Writer, Producer, Director, and Voice Actor
 Each speaker shared not just their professional journeys, but the resilience that shaped them along the way. As a program serving many first-generation students, hearing stories rooted in perseverance, identity, and courage deeply resonated with our scholars. Representation matters and seeing individuals with similar backgrounds thriving in these spaces was powerful. We are incredibly grateful to Joshua Gutierrez and the entire team at Netflix Animation for the intentionality, care, and thoughtfulness poured into this experience. It was more than a studio tour it was a window into possibility. Thank you for welcoming our scholars, sharing your stories, and helping them envision new pathways at the intersection of technology, creativity, and resilience. #STEMAdvantage #STEMCareers #AnimationIndustry #FirstGenSuccess #STEMEducation #FutureInnovators #Netflix