FAMES® | Finance, Arts and STEM: One of the most important messages we can deliver to young people about STEM education is one of hope and persistence. The students of The Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore heard such a message from a woman of extraordinary achievement, NASA astronaut Dr. Sandra (Sandy) H. Magnus. Magnus is a STEM star having received a Ph.D. from the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Georgia Tech and making three trips to space, two on Space Shuttle missions and one tour on the International Space Station (ISS). She spent four and a half months in space on board ISS. Her knowledge and dedication to space research brought her into a position of leadership as Deputy Chief of NASA’s Astronaut Office and later as the Executive Director American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
The Bryn Mawr School, an all-girls K-12 school is 
one of the oldest college-Preparatory schools for girls in the country. The students had a chance to speak directly to a role model who demonstrates what women can achieve in STEM fields. Magnus grew up in the small town of Belleville, Illinois, just outside St. Louis. She decided to become an astronaut as a young student. She described her journey from that early dream to an interest in STEM subjects and figuring out how things worked. She excelled in her academic work while also becoming a college athlete. The students connected strongly with Magnus leading to many questions about living and working in space. Magnus’ most important message focused on each student finding their dream and never letting go of it.
Impact on the students: The students of The Bryn Mawr School are fortunate to have Ms. Bobbie Miyasaki as a teacher, who has an exceptional commitment to STEM. It was clear that Magnus’ presentation left an imprint in the hearts and minds of the students in her class. Miyasaki wrote: “Thank you so much for inspiring all of us and for making an impact on these young lives. As you can tell from their comments, your spirit, attitude, and willingness to work hard to achieve lofty goals have left them with much to think and dream about. Both the students and their parents were so enthusiastic about this amazing opportunity.” The lives of students that encounter achievers like Magnus and teachers like Miyasaki can have their lives transformed. That message was heard loud and clear, prompting one student to say: “..The most important thing I took away from it was to always follow your dreams and that if there’s something you want to do, just do it.”
FAMES® (www.famesusa.org) is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization dedicated to mentoring and educating underserved and underrepresented youth in Grades 4-12 in finance, arts, and STEM subjects. FAMES promotes creativity and engagement through hands-on activities, technology-driven learning, and mentorship program with inspiring role models.
This program is sponsored by Women in FAMES® (www.famesusa.org), which inspires more girls to enter and succeed in STEM fields. #STEM #STEMEducation #ClassroomSupport
Listen to Sandra Magnus: Becoming An Astronaut https://mus.ge/en/play/J3G0ftO8iX4/sandra_magnus_becoming_an_astronaut/ (use here approved by Sandra Magnus)