Contact: Mr. Johnathan Hoilfield Johnathanholifield

 The OHIO ACADEMY of SCIENCE 1500 W 3 AVE STE 227 ● COLUMBUS OH 43212 614.914.5095 ● [email protected] ● www.BelieveinOhio.org RD
Contact: Mr. Johnathan Holifield [email protected] 716.361.9889 Mr. John Klipfell 440‐821‐2357 [email protected] Dr. Lynn E. Elfner 740.417.3579 [email protected] BELIEVE IN OHIO PROGRAM ESTABLISHES URBAN STEM MENTOR NETWORK
Initiative will recruit African Americans, Hispanics and others to mentor students in STEM
For immediate release Columbus (March 24, 2015) ... As part of its “All Hands on Deck” Inclusive Competitiveness strategy to reach all Ohio high school students, the Believe in Ohio (BiO) program of The Ohio Academy of Science today launched a statewide campaign to create the Urban STEM Mentor Network. Inclusive Competitiveness is an interdisciplinary framework of policies, strategies, practices and metrics to improve the performance of underrepresented Americans in the Innovation Economy. The Urban STEM Mentor Network will support Ohio’s next generation of innovators to create new products, services and jobs through the application of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). BiO is the only statewide Ohio student education program to integrate entrepreneurship and innovation as pathways to job‐
creation. Based on the principle of “Each One Teach One” over the next six months, beginning in Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati, the BiO Urban STEM Mentor Network campaign will recruit mentors from African American, Hispanic and other STEM business professionals and entrepreneurs, educators and college and university students. The goal is to increase dramatically the number of mentors in Ohio’s urban areas for the 2015‐2016 school year. “If our state and country are going to continue to be prosperous, then all parts of our society need opportunities to become innovators and competitors in today’s Innovation Economy, including youth in Ohio’s urban areas,” said Dr. Julian M. Earls, Retired Director of NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland and lifelong mentor and advocate for minority STEM education. “For that to happen, however, we need accomplished African Americans, Hispanics and others in STEM from all over Ohio to serve as inspirational role models and mentors for our urban youth,” continued Dr. Earls, who is also President of Entrepreneurial Engagement Ohio, the collaborative partner with The Ohio Academy of Science of Ohio in the development of the Believe in Ohio program. “Students can be successful when they see people ‘who look like them’ who have made successes of themselves and are willing to help them.” ‐MORE‐ URBAN STEM MENTOR NETWORK—
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MARCH 24, 2015 “For the sake of our children, their children, and our state, it is critical that this initiative be successful. To that end, we have assembled an extraordinary leadership team of community leaders to galvanize support across the state,” added Dr. Earls.  Mr. Johnathan Holifield is overall statewide director and coordinator for Believe in Ohio’s Urban STEM Mentor Network and served as subject matter expert for the Ohio Board of Regents Subcommittee on Inclusive Competitiveness. Mr. Holifield helped develop the BiO program and is a nationally recognized leader of Inclusive Competitiveness. He was founding Executive Director of CincyTech in Cincinnati, former Vice President for Inclusive Competitiveness at NorTech in Cleveland, and a founding partner of Scale Up Partners, a national Inclusive Competitiveness consultancy.  Ms. Mary McWilliams is the Columbus Metro Inclusive Competitiveness Coordinator for Believe in Ohio’s Urban STEM Mentor Network. Ms. McWilliams is Electronics Engineer Team Leader for the Defense Logistics Agency of the Department of Defense, and Chair‐Elect of the Professional Executive Board of the National Society of Black Engineers.  Mr. Wayne Hicks is the Cincinnati Metro Inclusive Competitiveness Coordinator for Believe in Ohio’s Urban STEM Mentor Network. Mr. Hicks is Executive Director of the Black Data Processing Associate Education & Technology Foundation, and the owner of Hicks Enterprises consulting firm in Cincinnati.  Dr. Bilal Bomani is Cleveland Metro Inclusive Competiveness Coordinator for Believe in Ohio’s Urban STEM Mentor Network. Dr. Bomani is a Senior Research Scientist whose work has been featured in a TED talk: http://www.ted.com/talks/bilal_bomani_plant_fuels_that_could_power_a_jet. He is Vice President of the National Technical Association – Cleveland Chapter that focusses on STEM opportunities in the Cleveland, Ohio area. He is also CFO of BOMANI, Inc. “Throughout my professional life, in the spirit of “Each One Teach One”, I have reached out at every opportunity to young people to encourage and mentor them to pursue careers in Science and Technology”, stated Dr. Earls. “Now, I am calling on my younger peers to do the same.” Urban STEM and business professional who wish to learn more should contact one of the following:  Mr. Johnathan Holifield – [email protected]  Ms. Mary McWilliams – [email protected]  Mr. Wayne Hicks – [email protected]  Dr. Bilal Bomani – [email protected] The Ohio Academy of Science and Entrepreneurial Engagement Ohio developed the program entitled Believe In Ohio–A STEM Bridge to Ohio’s Innovation Economy of the Future with support from The Ohio General Assembly and The Ohio Board of Regents. More information is available at www.BelieveinOhio.org Editors note: Each One Teach One is an African‐American Proverb: This phrase originated in the United States during slavery, when Africans were denied education, including learning to read. Many, if not most slaves were kept in a state of ignorance about anything beyond their immediate circumstances which were under control of owners, the law makers and the authorities. When a slave learned or was taught to read, it became his duty to teach someone else, spawning the phrase "Each one teach one." The original author of the proverb is unknown. Later, in the first half of the 20th century, the phrase was applied to the work of a Christian missionary, Dr. Frank Laubach, who utilized the concept to help address poverty and illiteracy in the Philippines. (Source: Wikipedia) ‐MORE‐ About the Believe in Ohio program: Believe in Ohio is a free new program from the Ohio Academy of Science that helps high school students prepare for the future. The program was developed in collaboration with Entrepreneurial Engagement Ohio with the support of the Ohio Board of Regents and the Ohio General Assembly. Believe in Ohio is the only statewide Ohio student STEM education program to integrate entrepreneurship and innovation as pathways to create future jobs. The program helps prepare students to become “competitors” in Ohio's innovation economy of the future and to be part of Ohio's next generation of innovators who will create the new product services and jobs of the future through the application of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Ohio was once one of the most innovative, entrepreneurial and prosperous states in the Nation, however, over the last 40 years it lost its way along with hundreds of thousands of good jobs. Unlike other states, Ohio confronted the problem and created the Ohio Third Frontier, which has been the catalyst for the creation of Ohio's Innovation Economy of the Future. Regrettably, however, few Ohio students know that Ohio’s Innovation Economy includes dozens of venture development organizations and incubators, and many of the nation’s leading research universities and other research and development programs. Thus, one of the principal goals of the Believe in Ohio program is to tell students that “It’s Time to Believe in Ohio Again” and that Ohio is a good place for them to create their future. Believe in Ohio helps students understand the challenge and opportunity the future presents and how to prepare for it through STEM forums, virtual field trips and online courses into Ohio's Innovation Economy of the future. It also helps students develop the critical thinking skills they will need later in life Believe in Ohio helps students understand the importance of a STEM education and entrepreneurial mindset if they are to become competitors in Ohio's Innovation Economy of the future. It does this through engagement with STEM and entrepreneurial experts and mentors, and participation in STEM Commercialization Plan and STEM Business Plan competitions in which students compete for nearly one million dollars in cash awards and scholarships. The program inspires students to pursue their education and careers in Ohio by introducing them to Ohio's R&D and entrepreneurial ecosystem that offers great opportunities for them to create their future. To find out more about the Believe in Ohio program, visit our website at www.BelieveInOhio.org or call The Ohio Academy of Science at 614‐914‐5095. About The Ohio Academy of Science: Since 1891, The Ohio Academy of Science has been promoting science and science education in Ohio as a membership based, volunteer‐driven, not‐for‐profit organization. In addition to its pre‐college students programs (Believe in Ohio, State Science Day, and Invention Convention), the Academy conducts an annual meeting which brings together scientists and students from all disciplines across the state and publishes an international, multidisciplinary, scientific journal. About Entrepreneurial Engagement Ohio: Entrepreneurial Engagement Ohio (EEO) is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation formed for the educational and charitable purpose of promoting student and community awareness as to the challenges and opportunities the changing regional, national and global economies present for the future; and providing educational instruction, curriculum, mentoring and other information that helps develop the entrepreneurial, economic, business, and scientific literacy of students and the community that will be needed for the 21st Century. Believe in Ohio Program Urban STEM Mentor Network Bios Dr. Julian M. Earls Dr. Julian M. Earls is an Executive in Residence at the Monte Ahuja College of Business Administration and advisor and special assistant to the University President at Cleveland State University (CSU) in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Earls enabled the creation of the Campus International School, a partnership between CSU and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District that incorporates the curriculum of the International Baccalaureate program, internationally recognized for its academic rigor. Dr. Earls is also President of Entrepreneurial Engagement Ohio, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to providing educational instruction, curriculum, mentoring and other information that helps develop the entrepreneurial, economic, business, and scientific literacy of students and the community. In January 2006, Dr. Earls retired as Director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Glenn Research Center (NASA GRC) at Lewis Field in Cleveland, Ohio, after a career spanning more than 40 years. As Director of GRC from 2003 to 2005, he was responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the activities required to accomplish the Center’s mission that included research, technology, and systems development programs in aeronautical propulsion, space propulsion, space power, space communications, and microgravity sciences in combustion and fluid physics. He was also Co‐Chair of the Science and Mathematics Education Policy Advisory Council (SAMEPAC) for the State of Ohio. In 2007, SAMEPAC developed findings and made policy recommendations for improvements in mathematics and science education in Ohio to the Ohio Board of Regents, Ohio Department of Education, and the Ohio Governor. Dr. Earls credits his parents and teachers for helping him see the importance of learning. They noted his love for mathematics and encouraged him to learn as much as he could. He entered math and science fairs in elementary and high school. These competitions were important because they helped him to apply the knowledge and principles that he learned in the classroom. Dr. Earls holds ten university degrees. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from Norfolk State University, a Master of Science degree in radiation biology from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, and a doctorate in radiation physics from the University of Michigan. He also completed the equivalent of a master’s degree in environmental health at the University of Michigan and is a graduate of the Program for Management Development at Harvard Business School. He has also been awarded six honorary doctorates, including Honorary Doctor of Science Degrees from the Vaughn College of Aeronautics in New York and Howard University in Washington, DC, an Honorary Doctor of Pedagogy Degree from Nova Southeastern University in Florida, and Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degrees from North Carolina A&T State University, Norfolk State University in Virginia, and Wilberforce University in Ohio. Dr. Earls is the author of numerous publications and has been a Distinguished Honors Visiting Professor at numerous universities. As a NASA executive, he received NASA medals for outstanding leadership, exceptional achievement, and distinguished service. He received the Meritorious Executive Presidential Rank Award from President Clinton in 1999 and from President Bush in 2004. Dr. Earls has received many humanitarian awards and founded an organization (The Development Fund for Black Students) that provides college scholarships to black students who attend historically black colleges and universities and major in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. As a mentor, he has guided many students though college and the professions. Recognized internationally for his oratorical skills, Dr. Earls is a Jennings Foundation Distinguished Scholar Lecturer, in high demand around the country, speaking on wide range of topics including higher education models of excellence, as well as equality of opportunity and inclusiveness in the corporate workplace. In 2011, he was the recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Award awarded by the Cleveland Orchestra and the City of Cleveland in cooperation with the Greater Cleveland Partnership. Dr. Earls is or has been a member of the National Technical Association, the National Society of Black Engineers, and the National Society of Black Physicists. He is a member of Tau Boule of Sigma Pi Phi fraternity and holds life memberships in Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and the NAACP. Dr. Earls and his wife Zenobia, reside in Beachwood, Ohio. Mr. Johnathan M. Holifield – Believe in Ohio Inclusive Competitiveness, State Director Mr. Holifield is the architect of and nationally recognized leader on Inclusive Competiveness and served as subject matter expert for the Ohio Board of Regents Subcommittee on Inclusive Competitiveness. Recognizing that growing our country’s prosperity requires an “All Hands on Deck” approach to innovation and economic competitiveness by all Americans, including women, African Americans, Latinos and rural populations, Inclusive Competitiveness is policies, strategies, practices and metrics to improve the performance of underrepresented Americans in the Innovation Economy. Mr. Holifield was VP of Inclusive Competitiveness with NorTech, a technology‐based economic development organization in Cleveland, Ohio, where he helped develop the Believe in Ohio program, and was the founding executive director of CincyTech – the Voice of Technology and Innovation in Cincinnati, Ohio. Mr. Holifield has held executive leadership positions with the Cincinnati USA Chamber of Commerce, the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy and the Cleveland Urban League. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science from West Virginia University, where he was elected captain of the football team, a master's degree in Educational Foundations and a law degree from University of Cincinnati, and is a graduate of The University of Oklahoma's Economic Development Institute. Ms. Mary McWilliams – Believe in Ohio Inclusive Competitiveness Coordinator, Columbus Metro Mary McWilliams is a practicing MBA‐infused engineering professional who works for the Defense Logistics Agency of the Department of Defense in Columbus Ohio where she is Electronics Engineer Team Leader for Fiber Optics and Wire and Cable. Ms. McWilliams (Mary) is also the 2014‐15 Chair‐Elect for the Professional Executive Board of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) of which she has been a member since 1982. Mary completed her undergraduate degree (B.S. MET) at Franklin University in Columbus in 1990, received her MBA from Ashland University in 1997 and received her certificate in program and project management from the American Graduate University in Covina California in 2009. Mary has been an adjunct instructor with Columbus State Community College, Ohio Dominican University and University of Phoenix. She has also served NSBE in a number of advisor and mentor capacities including as an active regional and national alumni officer and on NSBE’s National Professionals Board in the capacity of Special Projects Chair, Leadership and Operations Development. Mr. Wayne Hicks – Believe in Ohio Inclusive Competitiveness Coordinator, Cincinnati Metro Mr. R. Wayne Hicks is currently the executive director of the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF), the non‐profit fundraising arm for BDPA, the national IT association that is dedicated to advancing the careers of African Americans in the IT industry, from the classroom to the boardroom. Mr. Hicks has been an active leader in BDPA since he joined in 1988 and has served in virtually every leadership position on both the local and national level, including as national president and president of the BDPA Cincinnati Chapter. Mr. Hicks also owns Hicks Enterprises, a consulting firm based in Cincinnati that focuses on Internet online marketing, leadership consultation and product sales. Earlier in his career, Mr. Hicks served as president/CEO of the Cincinnati Business Incubator and as the Director of the Cincinnati Submission Processing Center (CSPC) for the Internal Revenue Service in Covington, Kentucky. Mr. Hicks received a BA in political science from the University of California, Riverside. He is active on a number of community‐based initiatives including CincyTech USA and Cincinnati Creates Companies. Dr. Bilal Bomani – Believe in Ohio Inclusive Competitiveness Coordinator, Cleveland Metro Dr. Bomani is a senior research scientist whose work has been featured in a TED talk: http://www.ted.com/talks/bilal_bomani_plant_fuels_that_could_power_a_jet Dr. Bomani is a leader in the National Technical Association (NTA) which is an organization dedicated to encouraging, motivating and inspiring underrepresented men and women to choose careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine and Education. Dr. Bomani currently serves as the Vice President of NTA’s Cleveland Chapter and was the National Conference Program Chairman of NTA’s 86th Annual Conference in 2014 that was held in Cleveland. Dr. Bomani is an adjunct faculty member in the Mathematics department at Cuyahoga Community College – Metro Campus, a member of the graduate faculty at Cleveland State University and Kent State University and a part‐time mathematics lecturer at Cleveland State University. Dr. Bomani also serves as CFO of BOMANI, Inc.an independent sports research and testing company. Dr. Bomani is an inventor with 5 patents issued and 1 pending. Dr. Bomani has 6 college degrees. He received his Ph.D. in Computer Engineering specializing in Applied Physics from Case Western Reserve University, a M. S. in Applied Mathematics from Cleveland State University, an MBA (Technology Management) from Cleveland State University and has B.S. degrees in Pure Mathematics, Computer Science and Mathematics Education from Delaware State University. He went to Eastside High School in Paterson New Jersey, where his senior class was featured in the movie Lean on Me. -end-