MANA de San Diego continues our effort to empower Latinas through education. We proudly partner our Hermanitas Program with our local world-class university – the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) – to host the Annual Avanzamos Conference. This acclaimed conference introduces Latina students to the wonders and opportunities found in pursuing STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) studies and careers.

Since 2009, the Avanzamos Conference has enlightened and excited Latina students in astrophysics, bio-engineering and the field of medicine just to name a few STEM disciplines.

STEM Statistics

The U.S. Department of Education states only 8% of all STEM related certificates and degrees in 2010 were awarded to Latino students. The U.S. Census Bureau states that in 2011, only 25% of STEM related jobs were held by women, including non-Hispanic women.

Our Hope

Increasing the number of Latinas pursuing STEM studies and careers is the primary and unique goal for the UCSD-MANA partnership. By hosting the STEM-focused Avanzamos Conference, UCSD and MANA’s Hermanitas Program seek to inspire future generations of empowered Latina scientists, engineers, mathematicians, physicians, and the like.

Our Future

Currently, STEM jobs go unfilled because of the lack of trained people. As a result, by 2018, there could be 2.4 million unfilled STEM jobs. There is a desperate need for skilled workers in STEM fields. MANA’s collaboration with UCSD, a STEM powerhouse, can help Latinas take their futures into their own hands.

Questions?

Help us help Latinas achieve success

Together, through our mentorship programs, scholarships and leadership events, we can make a positive difference in the Latino community.