Houlahan joins all- star lineup to mentor girls in STEM

EXTON » When the 20th annual Girls Exploring Tomorrow’s Technology conference had to be canceled in March due to COVID19, more than 1,200 girls, parents and educators from 200- plus schools and six counties were disappointed. That’s all over now. Thanks to generous sponsorships from more than 30 businesses and organizations, GETT’S 20th Anniversary Video Series launches Thursday with an all- star lineup of female mentors and is available free to the next generation of girls as they explore careers in for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

GETT’S opening ceremony and launch event kicks off with appearances from U. S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, as well as NBC10’ s Emmy award- winning meteorologist and children’s book author Brittney Shipp. Then, every week through the end of the school year, a new video or live stream will be released showcasing successful women from the region’s broad scope of STEMrelated industries, as well as hands- on STEM activities designed to help girls discover new ways to connect their passions in STEM.

“Thanks to premier sponsors like Vanguard, Sikorsky, QVC, West Pharmaceutical, AGI, Chester County Technical College High Schools and PECO, who jumped on board from the beginning, we now have commitments from over 30 leading STEM companies and organizations to participate,” says Diana Kimmich, co- chair of GETT and talent acquisition manager at Analytical Graphics Inc. based in Exton. “This is allowing us to go from a oneday event focused on southeastern Pennsylvania to a statewide weekly viewing party lasting eight months. It has turned out to be an incredible way to celebrate GETT’s 20th anniversary.”

Says Karen Etzkorn, CIO of Qurate Retail Group, which includes QVC, “We are proud to be a part of GETT’S 20th Anniversary Video Series, which has such a positive impact on our local community. We understand the significance of incorporating STEM education early on, and this important initiative does just that, presenting wonderful opportunities for young girls to gain experience and mentoring in STEM.”

GETT is a free event for girls in grades five to 10 to explore hands- on activities in STEM fields including architectural design, robotics, coding, health care, engineering, video gaming, environmental science, virtual reality, aerospace, information technology, veterinary sciences, forensic sciences, automotive engineering and more. Working with female role models from the region’s top science and tech companies, the girls have flown their first drones, used robotics to animate objects, created sutures using real surgical instruments, interacted with robots and more.

GETT is presented by the Chester County Economic Development Council via its Innovative Technology Action Group initiative. Driven by the volunteer efforts of numerous public, private and educator organizations, along with public and private investments, GETT began in Chester County in 2001 as a response to the underrepresentation of young women in STEM- related industries. Since then, it has expanded to include southeastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey and northern Delaware.

GETT sponsors include Sikorsky, West Pharmaceutical Services, Vanguard, QVC, AGI, Chester County Technical College High Schools, PECO, Johnson and Johnson, DVHIMSS, Exelon, Dell Boomi, Accenture, Cerner and others.