For over a decade, the Women’s Health Science Program at Northwestern University has supported young women interested in pursuing careers in science and medicine by providing academic support, hands-on laboratory training, and access to role models and mentors. The continued success of the program is exemplified by its alumnae, who refer to themselves as  “Science Sisters,” the entirety of whom have gone on to pursue college degrees, with over 80% of those in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medical (STEMM) fields.

British Griffis, a 2011 alumna of the WHSP program Oncofertility Science Academy, is one such notable example. After attending high school at Young Women’s Leadership Charter School on the near-south side of Chicago, British pursued a degree in agricultural biotechnology at the University of Kentucky. Currently, she is serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal, providing technical training on updated agricultural practices, along with nutritional and health education, to rural communities.