The GoSTEM program at the Georgia Institute of Technology is hosting the 9th Annual Latino College and STEM Fair on March 17th and 18th, 2021. The virtual bilingual event includes nationally recognized keynote speakers, educational information sessions for middle and high school students, their parents, and the general public. Hands-on STEM workshops are available for schools and community organizations.

For the first seven years, the fair was at the Georgia Tech Student Center. Hundreds of families, K-12 students, STEM professionals, college recruiters, and community partners could engage with one another in a shared space. Shifting to an all-virtual event this year, GoSTEM has an opportunity to bring hands-on activities directly to classrooms. Keynote presentations and information sessions are all open to the public in and beyond Georgia.    

On Wednesday, March 17th, the keynote is speaker Dr. José Hernández. He will share his story of overcoming barriers to become one of the few Latinos to serve as an astronaut for the National Aeronautics and Space Association (NASA).   

"Dr. José Hernández has an incredibly inspiring personal story that will resonate with everyone who hears it, especially young Latino students. Sometimes it's challenging to see everything you could achieve if you just dream big enough and far enough. His story speaks to the power of hope, dedication, hard work, family, and Latino values," said Diley Hernández, CEISMC senior research scientist and GoSTEM director. 

The "Navigating the College Admissions and Financial Aid Process" information session is hosted by the Georgia Tech Hispanic Recruitment Team (HRT). It will address common questions about college. Topics such as how to apply, what information students and parents need, and the different types of financial aid available to students will be covered. Speakers will engage individuals of all ages to educate participants about the college experience's various aspects.  

On the second day of the STEM fair, March 18th, the keynote speakers will be the Grammy and Latin Grammy award-winning artists Milk+Sizz. They will discuss their music careers, their experience with Latino artists, and their experience making Latino urban music. 

"We are extremely excited to have Atlanta's own Milk+Sizz talk about their incredible, creative, and prolific career. We look forward to learning about the connections between music, technology, and computing in their work," said Hernández. 

The Georgia Tech Latino Organization of Graduate Students (LOGRAS) will moderate the "The College Experience" information session that includes a panel of current Latino college students sharing their experiences. 

This year's external fair partners include the Atlanta Science Festival, the Latin American Association (LAA), and the Hispanic Organization Promoting Education (HoPe).   

"I hope students who participate in the event will be inspired and excited about their possibilities for the future," said Amanda Smith, CEISMC educational outreach manager.

The hands-on STEM activity sessions offered during the day on March 17th and 18th are limited to middle and high school classrooms and community organizations. They require that arrangements be made in advance by the teacher or organization. Educators that are interested in having their classroom participate can contact Amanda Smith at amanda.smith@ceismc.gatech.edu.  

More details and registration information are available about the GoSTEM 9th Annual Latino College and STEM Fair at https://gostem.gatech.edu/lcsf.

GoSTEM is a collaborative partnership at Georgia Tech between the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC) and Institute Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (IDEI).  
 

By Shannon Malone – CEISMC Communications