March 23, 2016
edition
CAREER special
Page 5
Concordia Expands Reach by Going Online
Chemical compounds that make brilliant colors are used in an
experiment to help get high school-age girls and other under-
represented students interested in engineering and science.
Inspiring Careers in
Math and Science
It seemed like a typical high
school chemistry lab, and then
the balloons set up for an ex-
periment exploded in a series of
loud blasts and rainbow-colored
explosions.
The recent Hermanas Con-
ference at Portland Community
College’s Rock Creek Campus
was aimed at increasing the
number of underrepresented fe-
male students choosing to go to
college and inspire them to pur-
sue an education in engineering
and science.
More than 225 girls from
Portland metro high schools par-
ticipated in the event which was
sponsored by PCC and Intel.
“This all is designed to in-
spire girls to consider STEM as
a career option and elevate the
opportunities they have in their
lives,” said Hirally Santiago, an
Intel industrial engineer.
Another goal was to give con-
fidence to the young women by
having them talk with female en-
gineers who come from similar
backgrounds. Right now, com-
panies like Intel have a severe
shortage in engineers who are
minority or female.
“It’s really important for
young women to get exposure to
STEM and get them interested
in a related career,” said Miri-
am Ceja, a 12-year chemical en-
gineer with Intel. “At Intel, we
need to grow that pipeline.”
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Concordia University influence is spreading
beyond Portland and around the country, but
all the way to Africa!
The northeast Portland school recently
graduated 90 students in Johannesburg, South
Africa who were enrolled and graduating from
its master of education degrees offered online.
“When someone graduates, it calls for cel-
ebration….but when an African woman, wife
and mother graduates, mountains of cultural
stereotypes have been moved as she negotiates
her role as an academic,” shared Simphiwe
Mkhize, one of the students.
Concordia’s Dr. Glenn Smith, vice provost
for student affairs, and Dr. Sheryl Reinisch,
dean of Concordia’s College of Education,
traveled to Johannesburg to confer the de-
grees. Rev. Dr. David Tswaedi of the Lutheran
Concordia University holds commencement ceremonies in
Church of South Africa delivered the invoca-
South Africa to award degrees to 90 students from South
tion and closing prayer to students and family
Africa who completed and graduated from Concordia’s
members.
master of education curriculum offered online.