STEM Futures Showcase Connects Students with STEM Employers Across Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On August 1, 2024, Kansas City area high school students have a new opportunity to explore STEM career fields thanks to the STEM Futures Showcase hosted by the Linda Hall Library and their Business Leadership Council. Geared towards students in grades 9-12, this event allows students to visit one of four real workplaces connected to STEM and gain hands-on, real-world experience from industry professionals.

The job sites and office visits that students will have the opportunity to experience include:

• Ronawk Bio Block: Tour the lab, and meet with technicians, scientists and team members including chief technology officer and founder, Heather Decker.
• Lamar Johnson Collaborative: Meet the architects, engineers and designers who help shape the world around us.
• Nabholz UMKC FoodDiverse Jobsite: Meet with project team members including superintendents, project managers and skilled craftspeople.
• JE Dunn Jobsite: Tour and see all levels of construction, from framing to HVAC installations, electrical and sheetrock work, and material finishes.

The experience runs from 7:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. on August 1, 2024. Both breakfast and lunch will be provided. The program is free, though pre-registration is required. Students can register for the STEM Futures Showcase at www.lindahall.org/support/corporate-foundation-and-strategic-partnerships/stem-futures-showcase-day/.

“Kansas City has a strong partnership of companies, organizations and educators that helps build up the next generation of innovative, entrepreneurial young minds,” said Eric Ward, vice president for public programs at the Linda Hall Library. “We hope that by introducing students to real-world STEM worksites, they may find that spark that propels them into their future professions.”

The 2024 STEM Futures Showcase is a product of the Linda Hall Library's Business Leadership Council (BLC) and Stella Nova Society (SNS). The BLC brings together corporations, institutions and like-minded organizations in Kansas City to collaborate on STEM initiatives, enhancing education and workforce pipelines. The SNS is a group of like-minded emerging professionals representing various corporations and professional organizations across the Kansas City metro, providing its members with opportunities to broaden their networks, acquire valuable leadership and committee experience, advance their professional portfolios, and collaborate on initiatives that benefit the greater community.

“Putting students in the position to learn about their future professional opportunities in STEM fields is essential to continue the growth and impact of Kansas City’s leading STEM ecosystem,” said Kaylee Peile, Director of Development and Chair of the LHL Business Leadership Council and Stella Nova Society. “We are excited to help show students the endless possibilities of a career in the STEM field.”

The STEM Futures Showcase is made possible by the generous support of its partners: Kansas City National Security Campus management by Honeywell FM&T, Lamar Johnson Collaborative, Nabholz, BioNexus KC, Parrish & Sons Construction, Girl Scouts of NE Kansas and NW Missouri, Polsinelli, Ronawk, JE Dunn, and NOMA KC. 

For questions or to learn more, please email bonifieldh@lindahall.org.

About the Linda Hall Library

Since 1946, the Linda Hall Library has been amassing collections that have powered investigation, innovation, exploration and inspiration. Today, the Library is a leading independent research library widely known for the breadth and depth of its collections across 82 languages, its role as an international destination for scholarship and research, its support of teachers of the STEM curricula, and the vast resources it provides to learners of all ages interested in scientific exploration and discovery. Learn more at lindahall.org.