Education, Volunteerism

Mixing personalized paint concoctions, painting water bottles, meeting female mentors. Fun and learning conjoined at the Museum of Discovery in Little Rock, Arkansas when PPG employee volunteers participated in the two-week Girls in STEM program.

Julia Sherwin and Krystle Shoate, two of the PPG volunteers from the protective and marine coatings business, both work in STEM-related (science, technology, education and mathematics) fields and joined the PPG Foundation-funded program to give a presentation on career opportunities. They also led the girls in a chemistry lesson to formulate their own paint.

Beginning their careers as engineering interns at PPG, Sherwin and Shoate shared their experiences on how they were introduced to the STEM fields and background on their personal career paths.

According to Reda Underwood, PPG human resources coordinator and Girls in STEM volunteer, the program created an opportunity to inspire young girls to explore STEM education and career possibilities.

“Girls in STEM is a great way for participants discover STEM careers through exciting hands-on activities,” said Underwood. “With many uncertainties surrounding education due to the pandemic, it was great to participate in such an engaging and fun-filled program. It’s our hope that the girls will continue to seek opportunities to experience the creative and ever-evolving career paths that STEM provides.”

Visit the Arkansas Democrat Gazette to see more photos from the event.