Cyber Sisters mentors to girls
■ The program gives girls
the support they need to
branch out in all studies
By Maggie Young
Oregon Dgily Emerald
It is statistically proven that
young girls are in need of older
role models and encouragement
in the fields of math, science and
technology.
Female students from the Uni
versity and Oregon State Univer
sity have the opportunity to be
mentors for middle school girls
from the Eugene, Springfield and
Corvallis areas through Cyber Sis
ters, a mentoring program focused
on helping middle school girls set
future goals.
Two main concepts were key
when the program was organized
and implemented in 1997, said
Cerise Roth-Vinson, program co
ordinator and assistant director of
the University Social Science In
structional Laboratory.
First, national research indi
cates that girls’ performance, es
pecially in high school, in math,
science and technology is not as
high as that of boys. Also, the
Willamette Science and Technol
ogy Center that facilitates the pro
gram noticed that girls had little
representation in their after
school programs.
“Strong female role models are
important, and most girls don’t
get that exposure,” Roth-Vinson
said. “So we created this program
to offer that and to improve WIS
TEC classes.”
Oona Holcomb, ASUO
Women’s Center Publicity Coor
dinator and junior journalism and
political science major, said that
traditionally girls are directly and
indirectly encouraged to go into
the arts as opposed to science ca
reers.
“My parents were surprised
when I was drawn to math and
chemistry as a child,” Holcomb
said. “It was just assumed that I
would write stories, but when I
was good at math, they were
amazed.”
Elizabeth Spencer, a freshman
at Thurston High School, partici
pated in the Cyber Sisters pro
gram while she was in seventh
and eighth grades. Having a fe
male role model in the areas of
science and technology encour
aged her to focus on her goals, she
said.
“Seeing women enjoy being in
those fields made my goal of
working at NASA seem more real
istic,” Spencer said.
The skills she learned through
the Cyber Sisters program have
carried over into Spencer’s
schoolwork. Although Spencer is
the only freshman in her Integrat
ed 3 math class, she still finds the
confidence to raise her hand and
give her input.
“This project made it easier to
answer questions in class and mo
tivated me to work harder in those
areas,” she said.
Some girls in high school give
up on math and science because
they think it’s too difficult to un
derstand, Spencer said.
“This program would benefit
those girls in the fields of math
and science,” Spencer said. “You
get to learn about want you want
to learn, focus on your certain in
terests and come to a scientific
conclusion.”
The results of this program are
noticeable. Girls who previously
said they hated science because of
the teacher now say it is their fa
vorite subject because they’re
good at it, Roth-Vinson said.
“This is one of those incredible
gifts in life,” she said. “It’s an
amazing opportunity to work
with someone who is just begin
ning to explore the opportunities
that are out there.”
Those interested in participat
ing in the project should call Cer
sie Roth-Vinson at 346-3256.
Construction
Continued from Paget A
by a group of University vice presidents and the Uni
versity provost.
“They pick five to seven projects that most closely
fit the University’s institutional goals,” Ramey said.
“Projects are weighted by how likely they are to be
funded. In some cases, projects may already have
funding.”
Once the shortened list is approved by the Univer
sity president it is sent on to an Oregon University
System review board, where it is compared with sim
ilar lists from other OUS institutions, Ramey said.
“It boils into an overall strategy and goes to the state
legislature” for approval, Ramey said.
After a project is approved by the Legislature, plan
ning can begin on the project in earnest, Ramey said.
Renovation and capital construction is financed by
the Legislature in two ways, OUS spokesman Bob
Bruce said.
Funds come from the state general fund and
through the sale of state bonds, he said.
More than $7 million has been earmarked for Uni
versity construction projects between 1999 and 2001,
Bruce said.
Sources of private funding have been the Oregon
Foundation, University alumni and Oregonians who
have a connection with the University, Deshpande said.
Grayson Hall is an example of fund raising through
private donations.
“The Graysons gave $1.5 million as a gift for the re
model,” Deshpande said. “The College of Arts and
Sciences raised another $500,000 and the state
matched the donated funds with $2 million in
bonds.”
User groups made up of faculty, designers and stu
dents are appointed to guide the projects through the
design phase.
“User groups are charged with being the Universi
ty’s representative for the design of the project,”
Ramey said. “The user group turns needs into things.
They are guided by our long-range campus plan.”
Project decisions are made under a process-based
system, Ramey said. “The overall idea is that the cam
pus should be able to grow and adapt to its needs. ”
The process-based system acknowledges that
changes occurring on campus cannot be predicted
with enough certainty to make planning decisions.
Decisions are made as they come, he said.
“There are still guidelines under which we make de
cisions,” Ramey said. “Participation on the part of the
users is mandated in the plan. The end user is in the
best position to make decisions about their environ
ment.”
007561
October weekend special!
Buy a Jamba Smoothie and get a free slice of
pizza at Pizza Planet. Located in the EMU.
(cj/
JomhxL ^juicja.» Pizza Planet
Open Sat 10 am - 9 pm
Sun 11 am - 6 pm
Monday thru Friday 7:30 am - 10 pm
Expires Nov. 1,1999 • No Other Discounts Apply
soszoo
►1C AT EE —
GOLF CLUB
(faty *t U* "Puutt
College Students -*20.00
Exp. 10-9-99
822-3220
828900
TUESDAY IS ALL YOU CAN EAT PIZZA & MOVIE NIGHT.
FREE MOVIE 8 P.M.
44 E. 7TH. PHONE 683-5160
u37 years of Quality Service”
Mercedes • BMW • Volkswagen • Audi
German Auto Service
342-2912 • 2025 Franklin Blvd.
Eugene, Oregon, 97402
007093
Come eat with
the Blue Hen today.
She’ll give you a warm fuzzy feeling and some good eats.
Open for
Breakfast 7a.m.
^ A lotta food for
■cwh* 3 little money
1769 Franklin Blvd. - 284-2583 • Eugene & Florence
BREAKFAST • LUNCH • DINNER
To earn a 4*00
in Brewolosy
all you need to
know is
STEELHEAD*
n 9 Award-Winning Micro-Brews
□ Soops, Salads n Ribs □ Fresh Pizza
□ Sandwiches n Pastas □ Bnrgers
□ Spirits n Home-Made Rootheer
TAKE A BREW HOME IN STEELHEAD'S BOX O' BEER
Steelhead Brewing Company
199 East 5lh Avenue Eugene, OH Phone 880-2739
Eugene, OH - Burlingame, CA - Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, CA - Irvine, CA