Education nonprofit Washington STEM is receiving a $75,000 grant from SAP Concur to help it expand student opportunities to explore STEM careers.
The Seattle-based organization announced Thursday that it’s been chosen as the local nonprofit for SAP Concur’s Community Impact Partner program. As part of the selection, Bellevue, Wash.-based SAP Concur will also provide “purposeful engagement” from its employees, starting with participation in a three-day event in which SAP Concur highlights its nonprofit partnerships.
“We plan on using it [the grant] to expand connections between business, education, and community partners to increase opportunities for students — ranging from job shadows to internships to real-world, project-based learning to apprenticeships,” Jesse Gilliam, Washington STEM’s director of communications and policy, told GeekWire. Gilliam said the $75,000 grant represents about 17 percent of its funding for regional investments in career-connected learning.
One area of continued emphasis, Washington STEM CEO Caroline King said, will “be students of color, girls and young women, students from low-income communities, and students from rural communities.”
Washington STEM works through ten regional STEM Networks across the state that support preschool through postsecondary education in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) disciplines. The organization estimates its work with business, education and community leaders impacts more than 660,000 Washington state students.
SAP Concur, formerly Concur Technologies, noted in a statement that it has a strong focus on STEM education through its corporate social responsibility work.
“Washington STEM supports this focus by working within the Washington school system to build curriculums and prepare STEM educators for the future of STEM,” said Jenn McColly, the company’s vice president of employee experience. “We’re excited to help prepare our future generations for success within the STEM field.”
