Did you know that we have nearly 50 different clubs here at San Marcos? These clubs cater to interests ranging from writing, to chess, to robotics, to hiking. While each club plays an important role in our school community, two in particular stand out for their dedication to supporting and uplifting female students. So, in honor of Women’s History Month and National Women’s Day today, here is a little bit about these two clubs.
Women in STEM Club
According to a 2021 study by the National Science Foundation, women make up 48% of the total workforce here in the U.S. However, in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), women are severely underrepresented. 29% of men work in STEM occupations, whereas only 19% of women do.
Not only are women underrepresented in the STEM field, but they are also underpaid. As reported by Pew Research Center in 2021, “the median earnings of women in STEM occupations are about 74% of men’s median earnings in STEM.” According to this same survey, Black and Hispanic women in STEM earn the least amount of money in their field, earning $9,200 less per year on average than their already underpaid white counterparts.
To support women in STEM as they navigate these many challenges, the Women in STEM Club was created here at San Marcos.
“Male scientists or just men in STEM have a lot more representation than women and I wanted to bring awareness to that and educate other San Marcos students,” said co-President sophomore Lily Wallace. “If women are interested in STEM, they should know that things like underrepresentation shouldn’t stop them.”
This club meets every other Tuesday during lunch in F-2. In the future, they hope to host guest speakers and organize fundraisers for other groups that support women in STEM.
Another goal of the club is to connect female STEM students with female role models in STEM.
“At San Marcos, Ms. Lambert, Ms. Tilton, and Ms. Carver are such great female role models and how they’ve led the STEM department here is really inspiring,” said Wallace.
The club is open to anyone who would like to become involved in supporting women in STEM, regardless of gender or academic interests.
“I want people to know that you do not have to be a female student to join, any student can join our club,” said Wallace. “It’s just focused on promoting women in STEM, and you also don’t have to be interested in STEM.”
Follow their Instagram, at @smhswomeninstemclub to learn more.
Women in Business Club
In the past few years, our country has seen a spike in women-owned businesses and an increase in women in the field of entrepreneurship. According to Inc. Magazine, the number of women-owned businesses in the U.S. has increased 114% over the past 20 years.
To support the many women who are interested in entrepreneurship here at San Marcos, the Women in Business Club was created.
“I would say that the majority of people in the entrepreneurship academy are men,” said co-President junior Tatiana Leyva. “I think that women have definitely been more seen in the years after my freshman year and I’ve seen it expand towards women more.”
The club hosts guest speakers who talk about their experiences as female entrepreneurs and share advice for those who wish to enter the field.
“We had a really good guest speaker last week, Irene Kelly, who talked about her experience with being a woman in the business field and how it’s important to make sure that our voices are heard and that we have equal say in what goes on,” said Leyva.
The club meets twice a month on Wednesdays in room B-3. They have already hosted a number of inspiring guest speakers throughout the year.
“Definitely join Women in Business Club if you are interested in the business field, or even if you’re not and want to have a club that talks about being a female in the business field,” said Leyva. “You can join even if you are a male, it’s for everyone.”
You can also follow their Instagram account @smhs_womeninbusiness to learn about upcoming events.
