GZBF Gives Back: Career STEAMposium 2020

March of 2020 was the beginning of a new way of life as everywhere someone turned, from playgrounds to parks, from schools to public libraries, and all other events where youth could become motivated and inspired was suddenly being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This was also true as GZBF in partnership with the Pasadena/Altadena Ivy Foundation, the Pasadena Alumnae Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and Pasadena City College were set to kick-off their 5th Annual Career STEAMposium. Everyone from the students, to presenters, to parents, and the organizations that sponsored the event were excited and elated to once again gear up for was certain to be the largest Career STEAMposium event to-date. To prepare for the expected over-flowing attendees, the team solicited double the number of professional speakers and tripled the hands-on display practitioners that would have been present had the day continued.

It was a necessary but disheartening adjustment for our communities, our youth, and every professional organization that made the conscious commitment to share in a day of providing insight, motivation and encouragement to students interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math (STEAM). As a reminder, the event, which focuses on exposing middle school through college students to professionals that are currently in STEAM careers, was slated to draw a record breaking 500-attendee crowd. This event is a direct opportunity for students interested in a STEAM career to speak with professionals that have already jumped the hurdles of their career journey and have landed successfully at their destination. Although COVID-19 displaced our opportunity, it did not dampen our spirits. There were several groups that never-the-less continued to provide their support to the event offering youth organizations an opportunity to network with them outside of the events of the day.

To acknowledge and recognize these organizations for their stalwart support GZBF reached out with a sincere expression of gratitude this year. By way of a Boeing Company funded Grant, each of the following non-profit organizations was handed a check donation of $500.00 to help support their STEAM activities in 2020:

Though the reopening date of Pasadena City College’s campus is uncertain at this point, what is for certain though is how dedicated, creative, and caring each of these teams and others have been in supporting the Career STEAMposium events over the years. Each and every day, they continue to find ways to provide insight and engage with the youth, even while other organizations around them are actively fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Please join the GZBF in recognizing the aforementioned organizations for their unwavering dedication and our event sponsors; Southern California Edison, The Boeing Company, Pasadena City College, the Pasadena/Altadena Ivy Foundation and the Pasadena Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. for their generosity which makes the annual Career STEAMposium event possible. We are grateful for their continued support!