Companies Must Play a Vital Role in STEM Education

By Bo Miller, Global Director, Corporate Citizenship, Dow Chemical Co.

Corporations’ futures are in jeopardy unless the STEM crisis is solved   Less than half of high school graduates are ready for college-level math and less than a third are ready for college-level science in the United States, according to the ACT’s Condition of College & Career Readiness report. The United States is clearly falling short in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education needed to produce the world-class talent that will be critical to fulfilling the requirements of the 21st-century workforce.   Revitalizing STEM education and increasing the number of students who choose STEM majors and careers is imperative for the future of the advanced manufacturing industry in the United States. Dow, like other companies dependent on a workforce proficient in science, technology, engineering, and math, has a responsibility to use our credibility, capabilities, and resources to make students, the workforce, and the economy stronger.   For our nation’s young people, STEM education is a passport to a career full of exciting breakthroughs and solutions directly addressing global challenges current and future generations will need to address. A STEM-focused education provides students the opportunity to play a role in a variety of industries, including the chemical industry, which enables more than 96 percent of all manufactured goods.   Click here to read more about Dow Chemical's commitment to support STEM education.   The Carroll School of Management Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College is a membership-based research and education center. The Center provides knowledge and learning opportunities designed to help executives, managers and employees advance positive corporate citizenship from wherever they sit in the organization. With a 26-year history, the Center has a track record of leadership and prominence in the corporate citizenship arena. It is widely regarded for its objective stance and a unique grounding in both management theory and management practice. www.BCCorporateCitizenship.org   BCCC18149