BCIU Recognizes Policy Leader in STEM Education

READING, PA – Lynmarie Hilt, STEM Program Administrator in the Office of Professional Development and Curriculum at the Berks County Intermediate Unit (BCIU), has been accepted as one of 36 ambassadors in the Pennsylvania STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) Ambassadors Program, which aims to shape the future of STEM education in the Commonwealth by targeting vital policy conversations with legislative leadership in the areas of STEM Learning ecosystems, computer science, state and federal policy for formal and informal education, and workforce needs.

In 2020, Governor Wolf stressed the critical role that STEM programming plays in the future success of Pennsylvania youth, and the Commonwealth as a whole. “To keep pace with a changing economy,” Wolf said, “we must continue to grow our supply of skilled workers by expanding STEM and computer science education, increasing apprenticeships and improving collaboration with job training.”

In Hilt’s role as STEM Program Administrator, she designs and delivers coherent integrated STEM resources that align with the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s vision for STEM learning. She facilitates educator networking and professional learning opportunities, as well as district strategic planning in STEM and Computer Science. She heads the Berks STEM Ecosystem and manages the STEM resource library available to Berks County schools.

The 36 members of the cohort participating in the 10-month program include representatives from K-12 business and industry, early and adult education, and afterschool and summertime programming. Ambassadors will serve as role models and mentors, empowering youth to look toward a bright future in STEM while working to build a coalition of local and regional support for STEM education initiatives and advance policy goals through outreach, education, and targeted relationships with policymakers.

“The STEM Ambassadors program has been instrumental in elevating the conversation about the importance of science, technology, engineering, and math in Pennsylvania,” said James Brown, Executive Director of the STEM Education Coalition. “It brings together leaders from business, education, and the STEM professions, provides them with training to engage policymakers effectively, and keeps them up to date on the latest developments in education statewide and nationally. This has been a winning formula for shaping policy in Pennsylvania for the better.”

“I appreciate this opportunity to serve as a STEM Ambassador in order to strategically advocate for STEM learning in Berks County learning communities and across the state. This experience will allow me to further develop our BCIU STEM leadership efforts through outreach, networking, leveraged partnerships, research, and project development,” said Hilt.

Dan Richards, Director of the Office of Professional Development and Curriculum at the BCIU, shared, “This is a great opportunity for our county, the IU, and Lyn specifically to network with others in the state towards a common goal. With Lyn in this role, it affords us a voice in shaping the future of STEM education locally and across the Commonwealth and allows us to offer insight that will drive meeting workforce demands in our communities.”

Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) collaborated with the Education Policy and Leadership Center (EPLC) and the national STEM Education Coalition to provide training support to the ambassadors. Throughout the program, Pennsylvania STEM Ambassadors will be briefed on state and federal policy initiatives and take a leadership role in advancing STEM Education policy priorities through various advocacy streams.

For more information and a full list of the 2021 PA STEM Ambassadors, go to www.psaydn.org.

About the Berks County Intermediate Unit
The Berks County Intermediate Unit (BCIU) serves as the premier education services provider in Berks County and across the Commonwealth. Our mission is to provide high-quality resources, innovative services and programs, and responsible leadership to enrich the education and social services needs of our children, families, schools, and greater community.

About PSAYDN
Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) promotes sustainable, high-quality out-of-school time youth development programs through advocacy and capacity building to enhance the welfare of Pennsylvania’s children, youth and families. PSAYDN believes all children and youth deserve access to programs that encourage positive youth development and support the successful transition to adulthood. PSAYDN is managed by the Center for Schools and Communities. More information is available at www.PSAYDN.org.