L’Oréal for Girls in Science Puerto Rico program graduates 20 high school students
L’Oréal For Girls in Science Puerto Rico, a L’Oréal Caribe program, celebrated the graduation of 20 high school students on May 6th, who received a year of mentorship in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The beauty company participated in an event at the Centro Criollo de Ciencia y Tecnología del Caribe in Caguas, where the first generation of the For Girls in Science (FGIS) program was recognized, along with the 10 mentors and outstanding women in various STEM fields who participated in the program.
The L’Oréal Groupe FGIS program, which started in November through an alliance with Ciencia Puerto Rico, has the goal of increasing female participation in STEM fields.
“It is a privilege to see all that has been achieved with this program in Puerto Rico and how it has impacted the lives of these 20 young girls,” said Gilles Delaunay, general manager of L’Oréal Caribe.
“This is the first time this program has been carried out under its new format outside of France, and the results have been excellent. L’Oréal has always been committed to the participation of women in all fields, while inspiring more girls to choose careers in STEM,” Delaunay said.
As part of the program, students from 9th to 11th grades were trained to become mentors for other young women. They participated in clubs that offered science challenges, interactive lab visits and inspirational talks, including presentations by scholarship recipients from the “L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science” program and other female role models.
The students are graduates of the Semillas de Triunfo program from Ciencia Puerto Rico, and were selected based on their performance as STEM ambassadors and their commitment to continuing their education in science and technology.
Each student was paired with a mentor, who provided guidance and support in developing an individual academic plan to prepare them for admission to the university and a STEM program of their choice.
“We’re grateful for the support of L’Oréal Caribe, an international beauty company committed to gender equality and women’s empowerment. Our goal is to motivate the next generation of women in STEM in Puerto Rico,” said Greetchen Díaz-Muñoz, director of the Science Education and Community Partnerships Program at Ciencia Puerto Rico.
“With this new initiative in collaboration with L’Oréal Caribe, we are excited to be able to inspire and develop programs that foster growth and excellence in these areas for women in our community,” she said.
Female scientists from Puerto Rico who are pursuing graduate research on the island or stateside can apply for a $60,000 scholarship under the L’Oréal USA for Women in Science program. Additionally, advanced women scientists can be nominated for the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Award, which recognizes five up-and-coming scientists from around the world each year and awards them with a prize of 100,000 euros.
