April Our Promise

STEM Pillar

For over a century, eastern Missouri girls have explored, developed, and sharpened their science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills through Girl Scouting. Today, Girl Scouts is,

position to one day fill those jobs. Women are poised to play an important role in the STEM workforce, with girls averaging three points higher than boys on the TEL assessment. However, the gender gap persists in STEM fields.

as it always has been, the organization best positioned to help girls develop important STEM competencies they need to become the next generation of female leaders—and to change the world in big and small ways!

Further research has shown that the reason few girls pursue STEM careers is not tied to their STEM ability or aptitude but rather to their self confidence and perception of those abilities. The good news is that Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri can bolster girls’ confidence in these areas—a key component in helping girls persist in STEM

The recent Technology and Engineering Literacy (TEL)

assessment by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, often referred to

as “The Nation’s Report Card,” showed that just 43 percent of U.S. eighth graders met or exceeded the benchmark for proficiency. As the demand for STEM proficient employees increases in the U.S. it is incredibly important that our nation’s youth be in a

classes and later in STEM careers. Girl Scouts does this by exposing girls from a young age to female STEM role models, connecting STEM skills to careers, and providing experiential STEM activities all within a safe and supportive all-girl environment.

Meet the Program Manager! Mary Fuller has worked for Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri as the STEM Program Manager for six years. Mary leads girls through the fields of science, technology, engineering and math in programs such as Space Science Adventurer, Automotive Engineering Design, Cybersecurity Basics, and so much more. “STEM is all around us. It is important to me that girls embrace STEM as part of their lives—even if they don’t end up becoming a doctor or engineer or another STEM-focused career. The Girl Scout STEM badges allow girls to explore new topics and ideas that they will use in all aspects of their lives.”

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural and Life Science Education from Iowa State University and a Master of Science degree in Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration fromWestern Illinois University. She previously served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zambia for three years and worked for Peace Corps as a Public Affairs Specialist in Washington, DC. She is originally from a small town in southwest Iowa.