President’s Message
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From Paloma Corvalan, President
Happy new year to you all and happy 40th anniversary to SCWIST!
I am in awe of the global collaboration that has resulted in us creating a COVID-19 vaccine in less than a year! This gives me hope for the future, as it shows we can come together and act fast in times of crisis. The pandemic has also highlighted the importance of STEM fields, and as a result, I hope this will lead to an increase in different and diverse STEM career opportunities. Surveys have found that youth are now more interested in pursuing careers in STEM, and I am looking forward to seeing more young girls seeking careers in all the sciences – medicine, engineering, research, science communication, environmental science, epidemiology, and biotechnology. The next generation of women in STEM will be vital to helping us prevent and quickly address future pandemics!
This year marks SCWIST’s 40th anniversary. That’s a long history of women trailblazing in STEM! We have a range of very exciting programs in the works to celebrate this incredible milestone, so please read on to see what’s coming up, and keep an eye out for further opportunities to be involved!
SCWIST is ramping up this year to build our capacity and to increase our impact and reach. We have an ambitious 2021 strategic plan, with priorities that include:
- Growing and increasing the diversity of SCWIST’s membership base;
- Increasing our capacity through growth and retention of SCWIST volunteers;
- Developing and implementing a marketing and communications strategy, which includes hiring a communications coordinator and marketing specialist;
- Developing and implementing an advocacy plan, so that SCWIST is known as the voice of gender equality and STEM advocacy across Canada;
- Prioritizing sustainable and unrestricted revenue sources to increase SCWIST funds for our core needs.
Thank you to our friends, Glorie Averback and Betty Hasker, from myCEO for facilitating our strategic planning, the wonderful team at Capital W for creating our fundraising strategy, all the workshop facilitators providing valuable training to our board and members, our contractors and volunteers who are driving the organization forward with passion and dedication, and Women and Gender Equality Canada for supporting our growth. SCWIST’s strength comes from its people and the supportive community that makes us who we are. On behalf of the board, I would like to express our deep gratitude and appreciation. Thank you to all our members and supporters!