Meet Morgan - Strength, Confidence and STEM

Our newest signature stripe, Morgan, raises awareness of the need for accessible STEM education and resources for girls in the US.

What is STEM? 

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, also sometimes referred to as STEAM, which integrates the Arts as well. Educational institutions,  from pre-k through high school,  are emphasizing the importance of STEM education as the way of the future but there is still a great need for additional support and resources, especially for girls. 

What are the stats?  

While STEM job-growth is expected to outpace non-STEM fields through 2024, women currently makeup only 35% of the STEM qualified job pool.  Currently, there are an estimated 2.4 million unfilled jobs in STEM fields. Robust STEM education in early childhood and beyond will prepare the next generation to fill these roles. 

Morgan Foster is Kristine Deer’s cousin and the inspiration behind the Morgan stripe. In her own words, Morgan reveals what lead her to choose STEM education for girls as her cause:

I currently work in finance- in college I tried squeezing myself into an education career that just didn’t suit me. I finally listened to myself and ended up majoring in business economics - one of very few women in the program but I loved it. 
I will never forget the strong women who have influenced me in STEM – my sister Kelly, my college roommate, Camilla, strong female co-workers who “asked me to sit at the table”, and male co-workers who open-mindedly value and support the perspective of all participants. 

I will also, never forget the feeling of being “the only girl” in the room. 

Cultural stereotypes about males being the “usual” mathematician, engineer, scientist, financier, technologist triggers self-doubt in those who are under-represented, namely, women. 

Women do just as well in school in math, science and technology as men.   
Empowerment of women amongst male counterparts drives equal opportunities, equal pay, equal voice. 

Part of how I define my success is ensuring my daughter, and other girls of her generation know that gender does not dictate what she does with her life. She was born into a generation that is shifting the mindset, and they need our help. I hope to change the conversation about women in these fields by my efforts and supporting the efforts of wonderful organizations that do the same. 

K-DEER will donate 5% of e-comm sales of Morgan stripe to Girlstart – a growing non-profit providing STEM education programming across the US. Many of the girls who benefit from these programs come from under-served communities. For more on Girlstart, click here.