Session S3D 978-1-4244-1970-8/08/$25.00 ©2008 IEEE October 22 – 25, 2008, Saratoga Springs, NY 38 th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference S3D-1 Recruitment and Retention of Females in the STEM Disciplines: The Annual Girl Scout Day Camp at Baylor University Cynthia C. Fry, Jessica Davis, Yasaman Shirazi-Fard Baylor University, Cindy_Fry@baylor.edu, Jessica_Davis@baylor.edu, Yasaman_Shirazi-Fard@baylor.edu Abstract - What would the demographics of typical Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs in the United States look like if the ratio of females going into those fields approached the ratio of females showing an aptitude and an affinity for STEM fields prior to puberty? The School of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) at Baylor University, in conjunction with the student sections of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), has designed an annual Girl Scout Day Camp for Brownies (ages six, seven, and eight) and Junior (ages nine, ten, and eleven) Girl Scouts. This paper will review the current research on the retention of females, especially in the elementary ages, in the STEM areas; document the design and development of the annual Girl Scout Day Camp, including the multi-year rotation of badges and activities offered; as well as the feedback from the local and area Girl Scout Councils, Troop Leaders, and parents. In future years we hope to be able to determine whether involvement in this type of activity has any significant effect on the recruitment of females as they approach high school and college, or the retention of current ECS females. Index Terms - community service activities, female recruiting in STEM fields, female retention in STEM fields, Girl Scouts. INTRODUCTION It is no surprise that the United States faces a “quiet crisis,” in Thomas Friedman’s words, in the erosion of the scientific and engineering base in the United States, when it is this base which has historically been the source of innovation in our culture [1]. There have been numerous studies and analyses conducted that have investigated the possible factors involved of this crisis, but one factor that continues to come to the forefront is the lack of female representation in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. The opportunities for women in engineering and technology fields are seemingly abundant, where, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, the jobs for engineers and technologists will grow at eleven percent over the 2006-2016 decade. [2] An ongoing study by the STEM Workforce Data Project indicates that the number of degrees granted in STEM fields to females over the last 40 years has doubled. [3] Despite all of these trends, the research into the stereotyped beliefs about gender differences in math and science-related fields still indicates that girls have lower levels of confidence than boys, even when they have equivalent test scores, and are more likely to attribute failure to lack of ability. [4-5] According to the Executive Director and CEO of the Society of Women Engineers, the secret to increasing women in technology fields is “not to ‘fix’ the girls but to make the technology classroom and profession more appealing to and welcoming of girls’.” [6] Project Lead the Way, whose mission is to create dynamic partnerships with schools to prepare students to be successful in engineering and engineering technology programs, has assumed an important role in increasing awareness of engineering and science-related fields in the K-12 educational field, but also indicates that one of the most influential factors in spurring the interest of girls in science and engineering is finding female role models in these fields. [7] DEVELOPMENT OF THE GIRL SCOUT DAY CAMP Because so much of the recent research shows how important it is for girls to be in an environment where they feel welcome and can be successful, the Baylor University student section of the Society of Women Engineers, in conjunction with the Girl Scout Council of Central Texas, developed a Girl Scout Day Camp. The goal of the camp was to develop a series of activities, led by STEM undergraduates at Baylor University that would allow the Girl Scouts to earn math and science-related merit badges using the facilities in the School of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS). I. Day Camp 2005 Initially, the idea for conducting the Day Camp at Baylor came from a local Brownie troop leader, and wife of an ECS faculty member. After several planning meetings with the officers of the Baylor student section of SWE, it was decided that five Brownie “Try-Its” (badges for Brownie Girl Scouts) would be offered to the Brownies involved. Two Brownie troops (fourteen girls total) participated in the following Try-Its: