Cincinnati After being awarded a $2 million STEM education grant, five Cincinnati Catholic high schools that are exclusively for girls are creating history.
To improve STEM education possibilities for its students, the presidents of Mercy-McAuley, Mount Notre Dame, Saint Ursula Academy, Seton, and Ursuline Academy have teamed up.
According to Leilia Kramer, president of Saint Ursula Academy, “it gave us five schools of all women to be able to benefit from opportunities for each school uniquely in the STEM world, which is really unheard of.”
See how these schools are working together to receive the $2 million grant.
The Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Fund, Fifth Third Bank, N.A. Trustee, granted the three-year STEM education grant. The initiative would give $400,000 to each school to give STEM teachers and students additional chances.
Since its inception in 1908, the Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Fund has been dedicated to empowering young women, according to Heidi Jark, managing director of Fifth Third Bank’s Foundation Office. “We are honored to continue that legacy by supporting these five esteemed academic institutions as they advance STEM education for the next generation of female leaders across the Cincinnati region.”
Although the schools have previously worked together, this is the first time they have done so on a project of this size.
In the community, we are frequently viewed as rivals. But there’s no better way to encourage one another and work together to set an example for our children,” said Michelle Robinson, Mount Notre Dame High School president.
The money will help each school’s unique STEM initiatives, such as improving lab and classroom facilities, expanding on existing STEM curricula, and giving instructors access to fresh professional development opportunities.
Mica Kissing, a senior at Saint Ursula Academy, finds inspiration in the schools’ unity.
“I’m really excited to see how it works into the curriculum, because Saint Ursula is changing our schedule, so it’s going to be more focused on experiential learning,” Kissing said. “I think there will be plenty of opportunities now. They can now sort of step up and get active in what they’re passionate about thanks to this award for kids and instructors.”
Karen White, the principal of Seton, pointed out that obtaining resources for STEM instruction can be difficult.
“Sometimes it’s hard to find resources to make those things happen because they might require certain equipment, or certain spaces, professional development for someone to teach the courses, which is always challenging, so this will allow us to do all of those things,” White stated.
This endeavor is especially important because STEM professions are still dominated by men, despite recent improvements.
“Our pupils’ desire to pursue careers in STEM is changing significantly. This opportunity enables us to meet the girls where they want to be, as evidenced by statistics and observed in all of our schools,” Kramer added.
The grant’s funds will be used by the institutions starting with the 2025–2026 academic year.
Robinson remarked, “We see it as a platform to do even greater things,”
