Business
Avnet & SciTech Institute Partner to Expand Chief Science Officers Program in U.S. and Internationally
PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- SciTech Institute, an organization focused on enhancing and promoting the value and importance of STEM education, is pleased to
About this update from Avnet, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":" PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--\nSciTech Institute, an organization focused on enhancing and promoting the value and importance of STEM education, is pleased to announce it has partnered with global technology distributor and solutions provider, Avnet, Inc. (Nasdaq: AVT), to expand the footprint of SciTech’s Chief Science Officers (CSO) program to new locations in the U.S. and internationally.\n\nAvnet is investing in the CSO program to support expansion in four Avnet hubs over the next two years, in areas in or near Chicago, Illinois; Gaffney, South Carolina; Leeds, United Kingdom; and Guadalajara, Mexico.\n\nThe Arizona-grown CSO program has become a blueprint for communities across the world to grow their STEM ecosystems by empowering sixth- through 12th-grade students to be STEM ambassadors for their schools, the community and private industry. In just seven years, the program has expanded into 11 other states, along with international chapters in Kenya, Kuwait and Mexico. The CSO program currently consists of about 1,000 students – 600 in the U.S. and 400 internationally.\n\nThe partnership with Avnet underscores the powerful intersection between industry and STEM education. A pillar of the CSO program is to encourage students to pursue a career in science and technology, while empowering them to use their STEM skills to make a positive difference in their world.\n\n“Avnet is sponsoring SciTech’s Chief Science Officers program because we share a common goal: to build productive career paths for young adults within the STEM field,” said Phil Gallagher, Avnet CEO. “By expanding this exciting program into more regions we’re not only helping more students develop their skills, we’re also engaging our employees as mentors, speakers and examples of success in the high tech industry. That experience can serve as a guide in years to come—both for the students and our own employees.”\n\n“The support of innovative companies like Avnet, along with the Arizona Commerce Authority and the Arizona Technology Council Foundation, have helped make the CSO program a worldwide success,” said Steven G. Zylstra, President and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council. “Most importantly, this expansion will empower more young adults to discover their passions, be science and tech ambassadors, and explore new STEM career opportunities.”\n\n“We are gratefu...