The Power of Mentorship in STEM
by Jaime Walton, Senior Manager—Communications & Impact
At Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance, we know mentorship changes everything. When students connect with mentors who reflect their identities, share their experiences, or simply open their eyes to new possibilities, they start to see themselves in STEM. That shift in STEM identity—believing “I am a STEM person”—is one of the most important ways we measure the success of our programs.
Our mentorship program, supported by the George Kaiser Family Foundation, is one of seven core initiatives at TRSA. It’s a carefully designed portfolio of four opportunities that intentionally connects underrepresented youth with role models who break down stereotypes about who can be a scientist, engineer, or mathematician. Students come to understand that their gender, background, upbringing, or the paths they’ve taken to get there don’t define who can become a STEM professional.
Learn more about each of our opportunities:
Me and My Math Mentor: Once a week. A lifetime of difference.
Through Me & My Math Mentor, students spend just one hour each week engaging in math games focused on addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. In this low-pressure environment, mentors give students space to explore, ask questions, and build confidence. The results speak for themselves: participating students show 35% greater proficiency on state assessments and even improved attendance. By making math approachable and fun, mentors help kids move from “I’m not a math person” to “I can do this!”
Space Week: STEM in the (Out-of-this) World
Space Week sparks curiosity about aerospace, one of Oklahoma’s top industries. Students meet astronauts, astrophysicists, aerospace engineers, and other professionals, gaining a broad view of the careers available in the field. Beyond the classroom, Space Week brings engaging outreach to rural communities, immersive field trips for grades 4–12, and professional development for educators. These experiences connect learning to real-world opportunities and open doors students might not have imagined.
Women in STEM: Breaking Barriers, Opening Doors
Each year, our Women in STEM event showcases the achievements of women across STEM fields, offering students—especially girls—the opportunity to meet role models who are forging their own paths. This year, the focus is on lesser-known health science careers beyond doctors and nurses, connecting to Oklahoma’s leading industries in healthcare and bioscience. Representation matters, and seeing women thrive in these fields helps young people imagine themselves in spaces they may have thought were out of reach.
See It, Be It: Connecting STEM Professionals to the Classroom
Our newest initiative, See It, Be It, brings STEM professionals directly into classrooms to connect lessons to real-world applications. A chemist explains why an experiment matters while an engineer links mathematical concepts to bridge design. These encounters provide students with the “why” behind what they’re learning and inspire curiosity about careers that may lie ahead.
Together, these programs are more than single events. They’re building blocks of a larger vision. Our goal isn’t for every student to pursue a STEM career, but for every student to know they can. That sense of possibility and choice can be transformative, particularly for students who have historically been excluded from STEM opportunities.
We can’t do this work alone. It takes an Alliance of educators, mentors, volunteers, and community partners working together to prepare and inspire ALL Oklahoma youth for a STEM-enabled future. Consider joining us at one of these upcoming events. You just might be the mentor a student has been waiting for.