With 32.8% of men and 15.7% of women majoring in science, technology, engineering and mathematics across the nation, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, the Women in Science organization at Arkansas State University highlights the women who are pursuing a career in STEM.

Kayla Treasitti (president), Katelyn Shavalia (vice president) and MaryJayne Umeora (treasurer) are board members of Women in Science here at A-State.

Treasitti is a senior biology major from Benton, Arkansas. Due to her love of science and interest in the healthcare field and medicine, Treasitti decided to pursue a major in pre-professional biology. 

“Growing up, which I think if you grow up ‘smarter’ than everyone, they tell you to be a doctor or a lawyer. Being a lawyer sounded boring, but being a doctor sounded fun, so I just kind of grew up saying ‘I’m going to be a doctor.’ I’ve been passionate about it since,” Treasitti said. 

When asked about how to create a better environment for women in STEM, Treasitti said it is down to educating people. 

“Giving women a support system is really important and making sure that we have the resources and the accommodations that are needed. Educating men, and even educating women, of these needs and the necessity to be on the same level is important.”

Shavalia, a senior medical imaging and radiation science major from Bernie, Missouri, pursued this career path because it was “a mesh” of math, physics, science and patient care. Shavalia wanted to work closely with patients and to advocate for women’s health. 

When discussing women who have driven her passion for STEM, Shavalia mentioned her grandmother.

“I have been blessed with strong influential women in my life. One that stands out to me is my Great Grandmother Frances. Made her career as a nurse during a time when there was less professional opportunity for women. Her intuition is something that I have trusted all my life,” Shavalia said. “My experience as a woman in STEM has been significantly impacted by the women around me. I am grateful to have such a vast support group of strong women.”

Umeora, a senior pre-professional biology student from Jonesboro, Arkansas, spoke of her love for learning human anatomy back when she was in high school; she wanted to deal more with understanding the body. 

Her mother, who migrated from Nigeria to the United States, was a prominent female figure in her life, especially for the science world. “My mom definitely inspired me to pursue sciences, because she came here to America with just not knowing anything and was able to start doing this.” 

As treasurer, she doesn’t necessarily hold responsibility for money or expenses but rather club events. Women in Science previously participated with the Minority Association of Medical Students during Black History Month to gather Black women in STEM and hold an open discussion on how to help them or talk about their futures. 

When discussing being a woman of color in STEM, Umeora said she hadn’t had a lot of bad experiences herself. 

“During a panel that we had, I remember someone’s experience about a doctor walking into an office to consult a patient, and the patient said something about them being the janitor or service cleaner,” Umeora said. “How they told us to handle it is to take deep breaths and to not let it get to you, because we’re going to face more struggles in the future and we can’t have every little thing turn us down.”

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