'One special teacher pushed me forward.' Columbus can do that for kids| Lewis Von Thaer

Lou Von Thaer
·3 min read
Terriona Watkins expresses her surprise upon receiving a new laptop at her graduation ceremony from KIPP May 31. This is the first graduating class for KIPP a Columbus Charter School. Each graduate received a new laptop as a surprise
Terriona Watkins expresses her surprise upon receiving a new laptop at her graduation ceremony from KIPP May 31. This is the first graduating class for KIPP a Columbus Charter School. Each graduate received a new laptop as a surprise

Lewis "Lou" Von Thaer is the President and CEO of Battelle.

As the first person in my family to go to college, I have a deep appreciation and understanding of the value of an education.

It changed my life in ways I could never have imagined. One special teacher pushed me forward and sparked my love for engineering.

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At Battelle, we believe STEM — science, technology, engineering, and math — education will help K-12 students realize their full potential.

Some refer to STEAM, which adds "art" to the acronym, we’re ok with that as well.

Lou Von Thaer (Photo courtesy of Battelle)
Lou Von Thaer (Photo courtesy of Battelle)

Even for those who don’t pursue a career in STEM fields, that education provides a foundation for success.

When I became Battelle’s CEO in 2017, the potential to impact the future of our community and our company with STEM support was apparent.

As the world’s largest independent, nonprofit applied science and technology organization, STEM is the foundation of every area of our work. So, we set a goal to impact 1 million students each year with Battelle’s STEM education outreach and philanthropy by 2025.

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How was milestone surpassed?

Today, we’re proud to announce we’ve reached that goal, three years ahead of schedule.

In the past year, we have impacted 1.4 million students with high-quality STEM programming. The students were reached through the Ohio STEM Learning Network, the Battelle administered Tennessee STEM Innovation Network, our own philanthropic contributions focused on STEM, outreach through national laboratories where we play a management and operations role, and federal projects.

The story started nearly 20 years ago.

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After co-founding the Metro Early College High School with The Ohio State University in 2006, Battelle and the State of Ohio worked together to form Ohio STEM Learning Network as a public-private partnership in 2008.

After that, we invested millions of dollars in the KIPP Columbus campus so those who otherwise might not have a chance can experience the opportunities of a science career. We saw opportunity at the PAST Foundation and gave our support.

We accepted management and operations roles (and gave financial support) for the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network. This allowed us to grow our impact beyond our home state of Ohio.

Battelle also manages STEMx, a national network of STEM education leaders who collaborate to advance high-quality STEM education as a workforce and equity imperative. We have taken a leadership position with the consortium of nine organizations that support the U.S. Army Educational Outreach Program to give students and teachers opportunities for real-world STEM experiences.

More recently, students now can share their ideas on solving real-world climate challenges with our scientists through the new Battelle Climate Challenge.

There are countless other STEM programs in central Ohio that we proudly support ranging from the COSI Science Festival to the Girl Scouts of Ohio’s new STEM Leadership Center.

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There are more STEM jobs today than we can staff and even bigger shortages are projected in the future.

What's next?

In this file photo from 2018, COSI Columbus President and CEO Frederic Bertley (orange shirt) is surrounded by explosions to announce the inaugural COSI Science Festival. This year, amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the festival will happen virtually May 5-8.
In this file photo from 2018, COSI Columbus President and CEO Frederic Bertley (orange shirt) is surrounded by explosions to announce the inaugural COSI Science Festival. This year, amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the festival will happen virtually May 5-8.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports STEM workers with a bachelor's degree or higher have a median salary 47% greater than peers with the same education level.

We can all rally around this issue together.

Battelle has committed to our next large STEM project, a new Metro school here in Columbus. Every major Central Ohio business can help play a role in developing a STEM workforce.

Please consider seeking out at least one STEM education program to support in the next calendar year. Together, we can brighten tomorrow’s future by investing in the education of our children today.

Lewis "Lou" Von Thaer is the President and CEO of Battelle.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: What is Battelle and how did it impact more than 1 million students