Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., celebrated activist and civil rights leader, left an undeniable mark on society for his life’s work fighting for freedom and justice for all. His thought-provoking lessons remain timeless. He once told an audience in Montgomery, Alabama that life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” January 18th is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – a day where we are reminded of his greatest ask – that all citizens participate in community action, for no matter how small it may seem, each action contributes to the solutions needed to solve endemic social problems. On this day, Americans celebrate Dr. King through service projects that strengthen communities, empower individuals, and build solutions.
In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and in observance of National Mentoring Month, we want to highlight Symantec’s volunteer work in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education. One of our goals is to excite, engage and educate 1 million students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education by 2020. There are expected to be over 1 million open computing jobs by 2020. However, last year only 38,000 computer science students graduated into the workforce. We want to encourage our youth to pursue careers in STEM, particularly underrepresented populations such as women and people of color. STEM education is a core philanthropic focus area for Symantec. We believe that it is essential to equip our future generations with the skills need to be successful, just as it is important for us to build a strong and diverse workforce.
Mentoring can be an excellent way to give back. In a 2014 report about the mentoring effect, it found that mentoring is linked to improved academic, social, and economic prospects, and strengthens communities and our nation. This year’s National Mentoring Month theme is Mentor in Real Life, emphasizing the real life benefits of mentorship:
• Having a mentor empowers young people to make smart choices that put them on a path to making better life decisions.
• A mentor who encourages smart daily behaviors—finishing homework, having healthy social interactions, saying no when it counts—has a noticeable influence on a young person’s growth
• By sharing their own life experiences, mentors provide students with a clear vision of what their future could look like. The impact is that, statistically, students with mentors are more likely to continue school through higher education.
• Mentoring builds relationships that are as meaningful for the mentor as they are for the young person.
• Young adults who had mentors as kids are 55% more likely to be enrolled in college— and more than twice as likely to say they held a leadership position in a club or sports team.
• For the mentors, the relationship can build leadership and management skills, expand a mentor’s professional network, and provide an empowering opportunity to give back to the community.
One of our most popular volunteer stories from last year was employee Brian Varner’s piece on ‘How Mentoring Can Make a Difference’ and his experience tutoring two twin girls who eventually were accepted into MIT for computer science. As he stated in his story, “Hard science is a dying skill. We need more evangelists in the hard sciences, especially since there is dire need not only for more cybersecurity professionals, but also for more diversity in STEM professions in general. There is this image of a ‘hacker’ being the young boy in a hoodie; you don't think of a young woman who is going to MIT. Unfortunately there’s a reason for that image, since women only make up less than 11 percent of the cybersecurity workforce… Regardless of one’s career, there are opportunities to help steer our young people along the way, and the reward is exponentially returned. “
Brian Varner and the twins
There are now opportunities to volunteer right from your home or your office with virtual volunteering. This has transformed the volunteering landscape as it now allows people to participate who may have been deterred from volunteering due to time or life constraints. And even though virtual volunteering has made it easier to give one’s time, it has not taken away from the social and individual benefits that volunteering can bring. Symantec volunteers experienced this first hand with TutorMate. Over the course of the school year last year, 15 Symantec employees volunteered 30 minutes each week as reading tutors. Jackie Fahrner, one of the Symantec volunteers, said, “I had such a great experience through this process. Tutormate gave me a chance to impact a child’s life. It was so easy. All I had to do was schedule a session and then show up online. Getting to know my student and connecting with her was rewarding. I found out we had many things in common – our love of chocolate and dogs. Both of us looked forward to our time together, and the best part is that she was learning through the experience. By the end of the year her reading skills jumped and knowing I was part of that is very rewarding. If taking thirty minutes out of my week improved Lyriq’s chances, just think of the impact we can all make together. Sign me up for next year, and I have others I am recruiting as well!”
The tutors:Tracey Bye, Jackie Fahrner, Allyson Gomez, Tricia Gregoire, Shannon Hernandez, Marisa Luke, Debbie Orens, Ramya Sankaran, Ashley Savageau, Sowmya Simha, Lindsay Warden, Alice Wong, Stacie Wong, Kristen Woods, and Bryan Zirkel
As Dr. King asked, what are you doing for others? Volunteering through mentorship is not only a wonderful way to help a young person grow, it’s also uplifting and fulfilling for you as a mentor. We encourage our employees and partners to get involved and share their knowledge so we can inspire the next generation of STEM professionals!
To learn more about our volunteering initiatives, contact Community_Relations@symantec.com