STEMpact2020, a citywide effort led by Wichita State University's College of Engineering, will unveil a new online resource for connecting STEM professionals with Wichita youth at a kickoff breakfast being held at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 2 at Exploration Place.

Alex Petersen, STEMpact2020 coordinator, will present the newly revamped stempact2020.org website, which is designed to connect STEM professionals with volunteer opportunities to act as mentors and role models to Wichita youth.

The website provides a platform for teachers, schools, nonprofits and other youth-serving organizations to post STEM mentoring opportunities. The focus will be on youth from groups underrepresented in STEM fields -- females, African Americans and Hispanics – but all local youth will be served by the program.

STEMPact2020 is a coalition of more than 30 community partners including: Wichita Public Schools, the Catholic Diocese of Wichita Schools, major employers like Koch Industries, NetApp, Spirit AeroSystems, Textron Aviation; and leading mentoring organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Communities in Schools and TRIO Upward Bound. Industry partners are committed to encourage employees to act as STEM mentors; the website will help facilitate connections.

“STEM professionals can find the opportunity that best fits each mentor’s schedule and interests,” Petersen explained. The website will allow prospective mentors to shop opportunities that range from one-time volunteer events to weekly, one-year mentoring commitments. There are also options based on level of intensity of STEM content, everything from helping with homework to building robots.

“The beauty is that there is an opportunity for all,” said Petersen. “There is even an option for STEM professionals that don’t know what type of opportunity would best fit them.” Petersen said anyone may fill out a simple online survey and indicate preferred days, activities and age of children to work with. “The STEMpact2020 staff will provide recommendations for opportunities that seem to fit best,” he said.

Interested STEM professionals are invited to come learn more at the STEMpact2020 Kick-Off Celebration. The event is come-and-go, but at 8:30 a.m. WSU Provost Anthony Vizzini will make brief remarks. In May, Vizzini attended a White House ceremony in which Wichita was honored as one of seven winners in the national US2020 City Competition, a challenge to communities to launch collaborative partnerships around STEM mentoring. Mayor Carl Brewer will also make remarks via pre-recorded video. (The mayor will be traveling in Africa during the event.) And youth will speak on the influence of STEM mentors in their lives.

Breakfast will be provided by Chris Cakes, and coffee will be provided by Prairie Fire. Partnering youth-serving organizations will have tables describing their volunteer opportunities.

STEMpact2020 is made possible by financial support from TECT Aerospace, Koch Industries, Textron Aviation, Boeing, NetApp, Great Plains Ventures and MKEC.

Learn more at STEMpact2020.org, call 316-978-3199 or email STEMpact2020@wichita.edu.