Six King students attended this year's Girls Advancing In STEM (GAINS) conference at the University of Chicago earlier this month. Accompanied by Director of Science Research Victoria Schulman, the students attended panel discussions, took STEM tours, and met and networked with role models from various fields.

The conference took place from November 8 to November 10. Schulman noted that while the students enjoyed the tours and lectures, the career panel was the most impactful for the group.

“Most didn't realize certain jobs were even possible, and they learned a lot about those individuals' trajectories to get there,” she said. “They all came away with a better sense of what they can do now proactively to reach for some of those career paths.”

Anya Andeson ’25 echoed Schulman’s comments.

“The conference really helped broaden my perspective of what it looks like to be part of the STEM field,” Anya recalled. “it was really great to learn how most of them knew they were interested in STEM in high school.”

Beyond the conference, students explored iconic landmarks and toured Northwestern University and the University of Chicago. The group enjoyed reconnecting with Eli Lowe ’23, a freshman year at the University of Chicago, who offered a glimpse into life beyond King. 

"I wanted to attend the GAINS conference in order to gain clarity on what STEM topics I'm interested in pursuing in the future,” noted Dahlia Barrett ’25. “The conference introduced me to many different career options in the STEM field and made me excited about my future studies.”