Pharmacy’s GO GIRL Program Receives 2018 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award

Shenandoah University’s Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy’s GO GIRL (Genomic Opportunities for Girls in Research Labs) program recently received the 2018 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, which will feature GO GIRL and 77 other award recipients in its September issue.

The program, founded by Associate Professor of Pharmacogenomics Amanda Munson, Ph.D., and Associate Professor of Pharmacogenomics Tracey Nickola, Ph.D., is aimed at young women in Northern Virginia interested in genomics, but unsure if the biomedical sciences are right for them.

The program, which is free, doesn’t require a minimum GPA for participants, who also receive multiple levels of female mentorship (near-peer, peer and professional). It offers, as the magazine states, an “‘I can, because they did,’ attitude.”

“We know that many STEM programs are not always recognized for their success, dedication, and mentorship for underrepresented students,” says Lenore Pearlstein, owner and publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. “We want to honor the schools and organizations that have created programs that inspire and encourage young people who may currently be in or are interested in a future career in STEM. We are proud to honor these programs as role models to other institutions of higher education and beyond.”

Insight Into Diversity is the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education, according to a press release about the award. Its Inspiring Programs in STEM Award “honors colleges and universities that encourage and assist students from underrepresented groups to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM),” the release states.