On April 30, Saint Mary’s Hospital welcomed educators from Waterbury Public Schools Milestone C: Shaping Future STEM Leaders partnership. This afterschool event aimed to build stronger ties between education and health care. Educators learned about Saint Mary’s culture; career options and the key skills students need to thrive in today’s STEM-focused world.
Saint Mary's Hospital leadership welcomed educators from Waterbury Public Schools Milestone C: Shaping Future STEM Leaders partnership.
The afternoon started with a warm welcome and an introduction to Saint Mary’s Mission and Core Values from Shawna Edwards, RN, MSN, DNP, Chief Nursing Officer. Dominique Mendes from Talent Acquisition shared information about Saint Mary’s hiring process and the different career paths available in health care.
Educators took a guided tour of the hospital and joined a Q&A session, giving them a close look at the hospital setting and the many roles that support patient care beyond nursing. The event ended with an interactive discussion led by Dave Conelias, Director of SMR & Experiential STEM. This session highlighted the important skills students need for future jobs and how teachers can connect classroom lessons to real-world situations.
The event illustrated how Experiential STEM, a program that offers paid externships for teachers, enables them to work in local, technology-focused businesses, helping connect classroom learning to today’s economy. By working with industry partners, Experiential STEM keeps education practical, up-to-date and focused on the future.
By working directly with businesses and organizations like Saint Mary’s, educators experience STEM in action, which helps refresh their teaching and curriculum. Most importantly, active learning brings new ideas and opportunities into the classroom.