Mentoring for 2000 and beyond

Today, more than 40 percent of the United States workforce are women. However, only a small percentage of working women are employed in science or engineering fields. The numbers of women in engineering and math professions have actually decreased since 1984. Last year, a mentoring program was created at NASA Ames Research Center aimed at encouraging young girls to stay in school, increasing their self confidence and helping them perform better academically. Teachers at the Ronald McNair Intermediate School matched fifth through eighth grade students with women engineers at NASA Ames. Results from a year-end survey submitted by the mentees indicated that the program was successful in achieving its first-year goals; more than one student reported that she felt 'really special' because of her mentor's efforts. The NASA Ames Mentor program has continued into the 1992-93 academic year with both returning mentor/mentee pairs and new participants.