2014
WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS
As the U.S. STEM workforce ages, innovative educational programs are required to attract America’s youth — especially underserved and under-represented minorities — into STEM fields of study. A detailed awareness of current trends in STEM education, plus success in developing and implementing hands- on, minds-on/family focused activities to address this issue is key to resolving our nation’s future workforce problem. Being field-current with regard to STEM education and possessing strong project management and leadership skills is essential for developing educational activities to align to the agency’s investment in the next generation technical workforce by attracting and retaining students in STEM disciplines.
The projects must engage and educate students and informal educators to ensure the nation’s future workforce. The ability to interface with scientists and engineers as well as develop partnerships with academia, industry and other stakeholders is essential to ensure that project content is relevant, accurate, and usable.
CORPORATE PROMOTION OF EDUCATION technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers.
The CSPI officer program is the highest producing minority officer program. CSPI filled a critical need for STEM officers, and recently the CSPI program hired 30 minorities, 17 women, and 18 students with STEM degrees.
Lt. Downing supervised 42 officer trainees, active duty Coast Guard enlisted members, enrolled at 30 different MSIs throughout the nation, including the nation’s top ranked Historically Black Colleges and Universities. She allocated more than $450,000 in scholarship funds, and oversaw the academic and military performance of the officer trainees.
Lieutenant Downing’s dedication to promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematic (STEM) educational programs is apparent in all that she does. She has worked hard to increase STEM awareness while promoting STEM education.
She graduated Spelman College in 2006, where she earned a bachelor’s in English (cum laude). She has also received several personal awards, including the Coast Guard Commendation Medal, Coast Guard Achievement Medal, Commandant’s Letter of Commendation Ribbon and various unit and team awards.
K-12 PROMOTION OF EDUCATION
Lt Leslie M. Downing College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative Program Coordinator U.S. Coast Guard
ieutenant Leslie Downing is a champion of education. She takes every opportunity to educate when she can, which she often does as a premier leader and mentor at her unit and within her community. She has a reputation for excellence, enthusiasm, and respect which has earned her the respect of her peers, superiors and those in her community.
L
She received praise for her performance as the Coast Guard Recruiting Command’s College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative (CSPI) program manager. Her experience with the CSPI scholarship program began in 2007 after graduating Officer Candidate School at the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. Lt. Downing worked to improve the program by demonstrating her commitment to enhancing the opportunities for minorities in science,
40 WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2014
Dionne Cross Francis, Ph.D Associate Professor, Mathematics Education Indiana University School of Education
D
ionne Cross Francis is currently an associate professor in the mathematics education program at Indiana
University. As a leader within the School of Education, her outreach work has a positive impact on Indiana University, and on teachers throughout the state of Indiana. Her influence reaches beyond Indiana University, as she is dedicated to helping teachers improve mathematics understanding in elementary school children from underrepresented groups.
www.womenofcolor.net
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