STEAM Women Rising Symposium

The third annual STEAM Women Rising Symposium presented by the Project Fibonacci® Foundation took place on Monday, March 3, 2025 at the Beeches Manor in Rome.  The New York State Technology Enterprise Corporation (NYSTEC) sponsored the 1-day event.  The event hosted over 150 students and educators from eleven school districts across Central New York.  Attendees hailed from schools that included Rome Free Academy, Adirondack High School, Camden High School, Remsen Central School, and Utica Academy of Science, among others.

The symposium, offered at no cost to participants through the generosity of table sponsors ANDRO Computational Solutions LLC, AndroMetaX Inc., AmeriCU Credit Union, Assured Information Security, Birch Wealth Management, Black River Systems Company, Cathedral Corporation, D’Arcangelo & Co. LLP, First Source Federal Credit Union, Griffiss Institute, Indium Corporation, Mohawk Valley Materials, Nascentia Health, Standard Insulating, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, and the Utica National Insurance Group.

Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon opened the event by presenting the Project Fibonacci® Foundation’s founder and chairman, Dr. Andy Drozd, a New York State Assembly Citation for efforts to promote STEM and arts (STEAM) leadership education towards the advancement of individuals in STEM and related fields.  This citation particularly acknowledged the foundation’s significant role in inspiring young women to explore careers in STEAM.

Attendees were greeted to an empowering and inspirational day of stories and testimonials by a panel of women business leaders, educators, and entrepreneurs each recounting their successful career journey, including the challenges they faced and what they did to overcome barriers.  Utica native Hilda M. Jordan of HMJ Consulting emceed the event and MSgt. Della Pray was the panel moderator.  The event kicked off with an interactive icebreaker called “The Struggle is Real,” followed by the panel discussions.  The panel included Iris Buczkowski, CEO of Birch Wealth Management; Anna Tobin D’Ambrosio, President and CEO of Munson; Annemarie Walker-Czyz, President and CEO of Rome Health; Nerlande Anselme, Superintendent of the Rome City School District; Kristen H. Martin, President and CEO of Utica Mutual Insurance Company; and Jackie Mann, a high school math teacher from Adirondack High School.

As a testament to the panel’s positive impact, an educator from Oneida High School shared, “This event really allowed students an opportunity to be exposed to a variety of fields in STEAM and to be empowered and inspired by the women panelists. The panelists were a true testament to the possibility of women having careers in STEAM and in leadership positions.”

The students also took part in a Creating Connections Fair as part of the symposium event, featuring thirty local professional and academic institutions from across New York State.  The fair showcased the multitude of opportunities available in the Mohawk Valley and Central New York, inspiring students to pursue their dreams while staying local.  According to one student, “I loved going to the different (fair) tables and meeting many new people.  It really opened my eyes to all the future careers I could pick.”

Jasminka Husic, Director of Finance and Budget at NYSTEC, introduced keynote speaker Melanie Sawyer who was a contestant from Season 10 of the History Channel’s Alone series, and who shared inspiring stories aimed at motivating young people to cultivate their confidence and achieve their aspirations.  Sawyer is also owner of Wild Foods & Wilderness and is a professional Survivalist Instructor and Forager.

When the participants were polled as to how likely they would recommend the symposium to a friend or colleague, the average rating on a scale of 0-5 was 4.8.  On the themes of empowerment and overcoming barriers, testimonials from students included, “After attending the symposium, I left feeling incredibly inspired and motivated to pursue a career in teaching, hoping to inspire younger individuals just as I was inspired at this event.”  “The most valuable lesson I gained from the symposium is to stand up for myself, embrace who I am, and not allow others’ opinions or stereotypes to define me. I also felt inspired to become a business leader after listening to some of the panelist discussions.”  “I learned to never let anyone tell me who I can or cannot be!”

The STEAM Women Rising Symposium marks a segue into the Project Fibonacci® Foundation’s next event, the 7^th Annual STEAM Leadership Conference, scheduled for July 27 through August 2, 2025.  The Foundation has consistently advocated for increased female participation in STEM fields, focused on cultivating a vibrant workforce for the future.  During the symposium, local sponsors awarded scholarships to schools for the summer conference.  First Source Federal Credit Union sponsored a student from Adirondack High School and both Assured Information Security and Varflex Corporation each supported a student from Rome Free Academy.  Registration for the conference will be announced soon, and early nominations show 59% anticipated female attendance thus far.  Due to the limited capacity, students eager to participate are encouraged to register promptly to secure a spot for the conference.  The theme for the 2025 conference is “The Science of the Unknown: Living in a Material World.”

The STEAM Women Rising Symposium committee is already preparing for the fourth annual symposium, set to take place in March 2026.