Mason Science FOCUS program celebrates a decade of engaging middle-school girls in STEM

The popular Females of Color and those Underrepresented in STEM (FOCUS) outreach at George Mason University celebrates its tenth anniversary and continues to expand its in-demand impactful, confidence-building science and tech immersion programs.

There’s no mistaking when the FOCUS Camp is in session at George Mason, for you are bound to see the group of middle school-age students and their counselors moving from one area of the Fairfax, VA campus to the other in their brightly colored t-shirts of blue, pink, white, and yellow. Their excitement is almost infectious as they walk and talk with newly acquired friends (fellow camp goers also known as future scientists and engineers) and immerse themselves in STEM activities from coding and building a robotic arm to viewing distant planets at George Mason’s Observatory. 

For the past decade, FOCUS Camp day programs have invited rising sixth through eighth graders to participate in interactive and hands-on workshops focused on science, technology, engineering, and math. The first year brought 18 girls to George Mason’s Fairfax Campus, with support from donors including the Business Women’s Giving Circle of the Community Foundation of Northern Virginia. Since then, the program has served more than 460 campers—filling to capacity each year within hours of opening admission. 

The program’s founders include George Mason mathematics professor Padmanabhan Seshaiyer, forensic science professor, Kelly Knight, former biology professor Claudette Davis, and founder of Girls Inspired and Ready to Lead Inc. (GIRL), Danielle Craddock, MAIS '11. Knight now leads planning efforts on behalf of the College of Science’s STEM Accelerator Program and has remained steadfast in the FOCUS mission to introduce young women of color to STEM fields and nurture their scientific curiosities. 

“We always assess participants the day they begin camp and the day they leave and it’s truly rewarding to see how much their interest in STEM spikes,” Knight said. “On average, interest rises about 30 percent, which is huge.”

With the program’s success and an interest from camp alumni wanting to return, organizers expanded in 2018 to also offer the George Mason College of Science FOCUS Academy—a more advanced and immersive college experience for high school students that further expands STEM topics and incorporate college prep, goal setting, and other classes designed to build their confidence, enhance their leadership skills, and support their social and physical wellness. These workshops cover forensic science, chemistry, bioinformatics, mathematics, and astronomy, which also happen to be areas of science specialization at George Mason. 

“I’ve had participants tell me that being around other young girls of color effected the way they felt about attending a STEM program and helped them feel more comfortable when participating,” said Knight, “It helps them gain the skills and confidence they need when they move on to less inclusive spaces; to know that they can be successful.”

In 2014, Maizah Johnson traveled to the Fairfax Campus as part of the first FOCUS cohort, saying she signed up excited to learn STEM outside of the regular school curriculum surrounded by other Black women with similar interests. The hands-on approach, she said, allowed her to better relate to the material and understand concepts more deeply.

“Being able to meet and learn from successful Black women was beyond beneficial. Knowing it is possible for someone who looks like you to also build a successful career and abundant future fuels inspiration and perseverance,” said Johnson, adding that the networking aspect of the program is one that has stuck with her since. 

“This program went above and beyond to encourage and empower young girls to have big aspirations and achieve their goals,” Johnson explained. “By meeting several guests and educators, I was given a chance to understand the importance of your network and community which is a skill I still use every day.”

And it’s not only the FOCUS attendees who feel the impact. Knight said the George Mason undergraduate students who serve as counselors feel it too. Some have moved on to teaching careers in STEM subjects, while others have launched their own non-profits for young girls in STEM. 

“What brings me back every year is the fact that I get to impact these girls at a young age and let them know that STEM isn’t just for the boys,” said Jade Kirkland, who has worked as a counselor at FOCUS since the beginning. “It’s something I didn’t have when I was that age, especially for women of color. It’s important to highlight that, yes, there are people that look like you in these fields,” Kirkland emphasized.

Kirkland had just finished her first year at George Mason as a forensic science major when she received the email about volunteering at FOCUS. Since then, she’s graduated with both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in forensic science from George Mason and now works in a biotechnology lab in Manassas, VA. She said she saves her personal time off (PTO) each year so she can take one week off to come back to George Mason to serve as a FOCUS counselor.  She describes it as the highlight of her summer. 

“I have as much fun participating in the activities as they do and it’s amazing to watch how they think through things,” said Kirkland, describing a lab she and campers participated in last year to explore chemistry topics. Each made their own small bottle of perfume. “I get a new perspective of STEM every year through these girls and it makes me fall in love with science all over again,” she said.

As a FOCUS counselor, Kirkland makes sure each camp participant gets as much out of the week as possible. That includes answering questions in workshops, sharing her own experiences as a forensic scientist, guiding them across the college campus, and ensuring a safe space for them to learn. 

In 2021, the program expanded further to offer FOCUS MOST led by Seshaiyer, a professional development program for K-12 STEM teachers that encourages the design of STEM workshops for camp participants that can then be brought back to their schools. 

“It’s not just the 50 girls coming each summer who are impacted,” said Knight. “It’s these teachers who are now taking methods back to their own schools. Along with the counselors mentoring these young girls who choose to continue to work even after they leave George Mason.”

So, what comes next?

Knight said that there is still work to be done. While efforts to increase an interest in STEM for middle school and high school students have been effective, she said more needs to happen to influence representation at the college and early-career levels. 

“We need to expand the ecosystem of support for students so that they can continue to thrive in STEM even when they’re in college or at the professional level,” she said. “We’re not seeing enough change in the numbers because there’s not enough support once students approach graduation and enter the workforce.” 

The next FOCUS program expansion will consider ways to support women of color at the college level as they navigate the STEM fields and choose what they want to do after they graduate. And Knight said she also wants to extend the program’s reach. 

“Thinking bigger about what it means to have impact on not just students local to Virginia, but on a national and international level, I think is going be another next phase for us for sure.”