DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., April 19, 2011
Actress, mathematician and author Danica McKellar will visit Decatur High School, in Decatur, Ga., on Tuesday, April 19 to visit with an Algebra 3 class of 20 students. The visit is part of McKellar’s involvement in HerWorld®, a program created by DeVry University in 1998 to provide an opportunity for high school girls to explore fast-growing careers of the 21st century in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
Actress and best-selling author Danica McKellar shares a moment with Decatur High School students during an algebra class brought to them by DeVry University on Tuesday, April 19, 2011. A team of students won the opportunity for McKellar to visit their class as a part of DeVry Universitys National HerWorld month which empowers young women across the country to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). (Photo: Mike Pugh)
McKellar, who is known for her roles on “The Wonder Years” and “The West Wing,” has written three bestselling math books, “Math Doesn’t Suck,” “Kiss My Math,” and “Hot X: Algebra Exposed,” which help teen girls to build self-confidence by getting good at math.
Last November, McKellar teamed with DeVry University to support National HerWorld® Month. High school girls at HerWorld® events across the country were challenged to work in teams to invent a new way to use an existing product. Following a competitive judging process, Decatur High School near Atlanta was selected as the winning team. For their achievement, McKellar will visit the school.
“Math has a lot of negative stereotypes, but it can actually be fun and incredibly empowering," said McKellar. "Math proficiency is the gateway to a number of incredible careers that students may never have considered. I tell students that even if they don’t like math right now, they can use math as a brain-sharpening tool – a tool that not only builds the foundation for a great career, but that also builds self-confidence, no matter what they choose to do with their lives."
Millions of jobs will become available in STEM related fields by 2018i, but with U.S. children falling behind in STEM education, the next generation of job candidates will be unprepared and unqualified to take advantage of these career opportunities. Women in particular are more likely than men to say they’re not good at math, and while they currently make up more than half of the American workforce, women hold only 14 percent of engineering positions and 25 percent of mathematics positionsii.
Through educational experiences such as McKellar’s upcoming visit, young women can learn that science, technology, engineering, and math fields are fun while gaining confidence that they can do anything they put their minds to and achieve their full potential.
“There is a pressing need to break down gender barriers in STEM industries, so we are thrilled to be working with Danica in an effort to help young women realize their full potential,” said David J. Pauldine, president of DeVry University. “This and similar educational opportunities are part of DeVry University’s commitment to moving STEM education forward and helping young women realize that no career dream is out of reach.”
