Ashley Twitty, a teacher at Spindale Elementary in Rutherford County, has been named one of 19 Kenan Fellows for 2020-21. She will be partnering with STEM West to assist with Diversity and Equity Asset Mapping Project. This partnership is made possible with the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. Ashley will be helping STEM West to gather information from organizations and industry partners that will improve access to STEM opportunities in the Western Region.
“This fellowship is such a wonderful honor. I am eager to work with Dr. Carol Moore and STEM West to better the efforts of access in the areas of STEM and diversity in our region. I am excited about this opportunity to learn more about STEM access in our region. I know that my experience with STEM West will not only impact myself but the students that I teach as well. I am grateful for this amazing opportunity thanks to the partnership with Burroughs Wellcome Fund, STEM West, and Kenan Fellows,” stated Twitty.
“Equity, access, and opportunity to developing and available resources are essential elements to addressing diversity in STEM. The mapping of assets with STEM West will provide opportunities for greater collaborative partnerships and the leveraging of investments within the western region of the state,” stated Alfred Mays. Mays is the program officer for Science Education and Diversity in Science at the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.
In addition to working with the mapping of assets, Twitty will be creating a product that encompasses what she has learned from her internship with STEM West. This product will not only be a product to help move this critical work of STEM West forward, but Twitty also wants it to have a direct impact on her classroom, school, and community.
“This unique Kenan Fellowship with Mrs. Twitty may open the way for additional Fellowships that meet the needs of other business partners. I am eager and excited to work beside her as she evaluates and designs programming to increase STEM access for ALL students in rural western North Carolina—Welcome Ashley Twitty!” stated Dr. Carol Moore, CEO of STEM West.
