Press Releases
Poll Reveals Public Backing for Increased STEM Funding & Key I-Squared Provision
Washington, D.C. – A poll released Monday showing widespread support among Americans for increased funding for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education is evidence the public wants a solution to the nation’s STEM education crisis, inSPIRE STEM USA Executive Director Beneva Schulte said Monday. The TechNet poll showed that 77 percent of Americans want increased spending in STEM education and that 56 percent back a major provision of the bi-partisan I-Squared Act, which would use fees from high-skilled visas to create a national STEM education fund. “Americans understand that we can’t continue to fall behind other nations in educating… Read More »
Major Corporations, Non-Profits, Think Tank Sign on to inSPIRE STEM USA Coalition
Dell, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, General Electric, Afterschool Alliance, KISS Institute for Practical Robotics & Code.org Join Effort to Boost STEM Education Washington, D.C. – The inSPIRE STEM USA Coalition announced the addition of six new members to the group on Friday, as they continue their support for creating a national fund to strengthen the nation’s science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) and computer science education pipeline. The new additions to the inSPIRE STEM USA coalition include: Afterschool Alliance, Code.org, Dell, General Electric, KISS Institute for Practical Robotics, and the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies…. Read More »
Immigration Innovation Act (I-Squared) Is Key to Improving National STEM Education and Addressing Disparities Among African Americans in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
In 2009, African Americans Represented Just 7 Percent of STEM Bachelor’s Degrees Washington, D.C. – The bi-partisan Immigration and Innovation Act of 2013 would be crucial to reducing disparities among African Americans studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and computer science, inSPIRE STEM USA Co-Chair Maria Cardona said today. I-Squared includes a provision establishing a national STEM education fund that expands recruits and trains more teachers in STEM fields and expands opportunities for more students to study in those areas. African Americans earning STEM and computer science degrees from community college through the doctorate level declined by 7 percent… Read More »
inSPIRE STEM USA Executive Director Beneva Schulte Applauds House Judiciary Committee Attention to STEM Education
Washington, D.C. – A week after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Academic Competition Resolution of 2013 in an effort to highlight the importance of science, technology, math and engineering (STEM) and computer science education, the issue arose again during today’s House Judiciary Committee hearing on high-skilled immigration as one of the witnesses stressed the importance of a national STEM fund. inSPIRE STEM USA Executive Director Beneva Schulte said the coalition welcomed the attention to STEM and computer science education and the need to improve the nation’s STEM education pipeline. Asked today by Rep. George Holding (R-NC) to elaborate… Read More »
In Black History Month Statement, inSPIRE STEM USA Co-Chair Maria Cardona Says America’s Economic Future Tied to Erasing Disparities in STEM Education
In 2009, African Americans Represented Just 7 Percent of STEM Bachelor’s Degrees Washington, D.C. – inSPIRE STEM USA Co-Chair Maria Cardona on Tuesday cited troubling disparities among African Americans studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and computer science fields and said the nation would have to dramatically improve opportunities for more students to successfully enter and remain in STEM and computer science fields through college. African Americans earning STEM and computer science degrees from community college through the doctorate level declined by 7 percent from 2001 to 2009, dropping from 8.1 percent to 7.5 percent. Additionally, African Americans received… Read More »
inSPIRE STEM USA Executive Director Beneva Schulte Response to Computerworld’s “In the Midwest, Concern About the H-1B”
America does not produce enough graduates in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and computer science fields to keep up with the demand for workers to fill high skilled jobs. For instance, each year the nation will produce 120,000 computer-related jobs that require a bachelor’s degree. However, we produce just 40,000 bachelor’s degrees in computer science. And from 2000 to 2007, non-STEM bachelor’s degrees grew 24 percent, compared with just 16 percent for STEM bachelor’s degrees, according to economist Rob Atkinson, who made the argument in a recent article: Yes Virginia, We Do Have a Need for More STEM Workers. This… Read More »
Eight New Organizations Join inSPIRE STEM USA
New Members Include Key Education, Minority, and LGBT Groups Washington, D.C. – inSPIRE STEM USA announced the addition of eight new members on Wednesday, including three education organizations, as the coalition continues its efforts to strengthen the nation’s education pipeline of students trained in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and computer science fields. Joining inSPIRE STEM USA are: Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIASF) Education Development Center The Hispanic Institute HR Policy Association The JASON Project National Council of Teachers of Mathematics National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce STEMconnector The coalition now has 30 members, including… Read More »
inSPIRE STEM USA Co-Chairs’ Letter Urges Judiciary Committee Support for I-Squared Act and Calls for Larger High-Skilled Workforce and Stronger National STEM Education
Washington, D.C. – inSPIRE STEM USA Co-Chairs John E. Sununu and Maria Cardona on Wednesday urged members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to address America’s shortage of high-skilled workers and the need for the nation to produce more professionals in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. The co-chairs’ letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy can be found here. The committee’s hearing on comprehensive immigration reform came just hours after President Obama used his State of the Union Address to call for broad immigration reform and for additional investments for STEM education. inSPIRE STEM USA urged the President… Read More »
High-Skilled Immigration Reform & STEM Pipeline Fund Pick Up Steam as inSPIRE STEM USA Coalition Adds 13 New Members
Washington, D.C. – The inSPIRE STEM USA Coalition announced the addition of 13 new members to the group on Wednesday, a sign of the growing support for the bi-partisan plan to reform high-skilled immigration and create a national fund to improve the STEM education pipeline. “We are thrilled to see so many influential organizations and businesses join our effort to develop our workforce and STEM education pipeline,” said inSPIRE STEM USA Co-Chair and former senator John E. Sununu. “Each new member strengthens our effort and brings us closer to closing the STEM jobs gap in our country.” The new additions… Read More »
inSPIRE STEM USA Coalition Calls on White House to Include I-Squared in Broad Immigration Reform
Washington, D.C. – The inSPIRE STEM USA coalition praised President Obama’s discussions on immigration with business and labor leaders on Tuesday and urged the White House and Congress to ensure that high-skilled reform is included in any broad reform effort. “With today’s anticipated meetings at the White House with leaders from business, labor and progressive organizations, we are hopeful the White House will hear the message that America shouldn’t miss this important opportunity to strengthen our economy and our STEM workforce as a part of broad immigration reform,” said Beneva Schulte, inSPIRE STEM USA Executive Director. Last week inSPIRE STEM… Read More »