Global STEM Alliance Receives Grant to Launch ‘Junior Academy’

NEW YORK, March 30, 2015 - In recognition of the many barriers facing high-performing, low-income students interested science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation has awarded the Global STEM Alliance of the New York Academy of Sciences $500,000 to launch a new education program aimed at gifted students.

The Junior Academy of the Global STEM Alliance is a program developed to identify and target gifted STEM students around the world. Hosted on a virtual learning and research platform, students from the ages of 13-19 will gain access to mentoring from the world's best STEM experts, peer-to-peer networking, and challenging online courses. This new grant was announced by President Barack Obama at the White House Science Fair on March 23.

"We are thrilled that the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation has partnered with us to address the need for greater diversity in the STEM pipeline. Together we are committed to keeping promising STEM students engaged and eager to excel. These future STEM leaders are our greatest resource; they are the innovators who will address the world's greatest challenges in areas such as nutrition, sustainability, and healthcare" says Celina Morgan-Standard, Senior Vice President of Global Business Development for the Global STEM Alliance.

"We are squandering the talents of millions of students who would pursue successful and influential careers in STEM fields if only they had educational opportunities that prepared them early on," says Harold O. Levy, Executive Director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. "The Cooke Foundation is tackling this monumental waste by supporting organizations and programs that will put low-income middle and high school students on the path to studying STEM in college and beyond."

For more information, visit www.globalstemalliance.org.

For press inquiries, contact Diana Friedman (dfriedman@nyas.org, 212-298-8645).

About The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is dedicated to advancing the education of exceptionally promising students who have financial need. By offering the largest scholarships in the country, in-depth academic counseling and other direct services, the Foundation seeks to help high-performing, low-income students to develop their talents and excel educationally. In addition to providing students both counseling and financial support from middle school to graduate school, the Foundation provides grants for noteworthy and innovative initiatives that support high-performing, low-income students. Founded in 2000, the Foundation has awarded over $130 million in scholarships to almost 1,900 students and over $80 million in grants. www.jkcf.org

About the Global STEM Alliance of the New York Academy of Sciences:

The Global STEM Alliance (GSA) addresses the growing need for highly skilled workers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) by accelerating STEM learning around the world. The GSA is the first global initiative of more than 70 governments, corporations, educational institutions, and nongovernmental organizations in more than 50 countries and regions working with the New York Academy of Sciences to identify the world's best STEM talent and create a global network of promising students and noted scientists. The GSA will give rise to a new generation of STEM innovators. Together, this next generation will acquire the skills needed to take on the jobs that foster global economic development and the innovation necessary to confront the grand challenges our world faces.

Together we are committed to reaching 1 million students in 100 countries by 2020.

For more information on how to get involved, visit www.globalSTEMAlliance.org and follow us on Twitter @STEMAlliance

About the New York Academy of Sciences
The New York Academy of Sciences is an independent, not-for-profit organization that since 1817 has been committed to advancing science, technology, and society worldwide. With more than 20,000 members in 100 countries around the world, the Academy is creating a global community of science for the benefit of humanity. The Academy's core mission is to advance scientific knowledge, positively impact the major global challenges of society with science-based solutions, and increase the number of scientifically informed individuals in society at large. Please visit us online at www.nyas.org.

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