A new mentorship program at the University of Buffalo to encourage female high school students to consider college degrees and careers in science, tech, math and engineering is partnering with Amherst Central High School.

Amherst is one of five high schools chosen to partner with the University at Buffalo's WiSE program (Women in Science and Engineering) in a new high school outreach program which has a goal of increasing the success of women in the STEM fields.

A special assembly for all tenth-grade female students, with guest speakers from the UB WiSE program, informed ACHS sophomores about college and careers in STEM. At the assembly, two undergraduate students, a UB math professor and the graduate assistant who runs the program all shared their college and career paths. They gave some advice to the ACHS sophomores that included:

• “Follow what you like.”
• “Be open to what you are passionate about.”
• “Don’t feel obligated to do something because others want you to do it.”
• “Don't be afraid to explore.”
• “There are so many jobs that are interesting. Find your cohort, don’t give up, keep doing what you love.”

As part of the WiSE program, four female ACHS sophomores are selected to participate in a mentorship program with the UB WiSE students serving as the mentors. The UB student mentors visit their assigned mentees at their high school after school once per week for mentor/mentee conversations and activities.