Second Annual BISEC Congressional Reception Honors STEM Students
Dozens of students who participated in STEM programs supported by aerospace and defense companies were recognized and celebrated at a congressional event on September 20. The second annual reception sponsored by the Business and Industry STEM Education Coalition (BISEC) and supported by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D – N.H.) underscored the important role various programs and their corporate partners play in inspiring the next generation to pursue courses and careers in science, engineering and technology.
AIA’s CEO and President Marion C. Blakey set the tone for the event by referencing historic events that had taken place in the Senate Caucus Room where the reception was held – events like Senator John F. Kennedy’s 1960 announcement that he would run for President of the United States. Blakey then noted the recent passing of Neil Armstrong and Sally Ride, two individuals who took up President Kennedy’s challenge to carry the torch of liberty and reach for the stars. She said that both Armstrong and Ride were heroes not only for their pioneering work as astronauts but also for their lifelong commitment to educating the next generation through STEM.
Rick Stephens, the chair of BISEC and Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Administration at the Boeing Company, spoke of the need for a well-prepared workforce to conduct the important and innovative work of aerospace and provide our national security. He encouraged the assembled students to aspire for the excellent jobs and rewarding careers that BISEC industries have to offer.
Participants in the event included:
- A CyberPatriot team from George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church, Virginia.
- DOD STARBASE program participants from Connecticut, Louisiana, Maryland, and Michigan.
- FIRST Robotics teams from Woodrow Wilson High School and McKinley Tech High School in the District of Columbia.
- Project Lead the Way engineering students from Severna Park High School in Severna Park, Maryland
- A Team America Rocketry Challenge team from Lake Braddock High School in Burke, Virginia.
AIA Source: susan.lavrakas[at]aia-aerospace.org
