Five prominent all-girls Catholic high schools in Cincinnati have achieved a groundbreaking milestone by securing a collective $2 million STEM education grant, marking the largest collaborative educational initiative in their shared history. The partnership between Mercy-McAuley, Mount Notre Dame, Saint Ursula Academy, Seton, and Ursuline Academy represents a transformative approach to advancing women’s participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.
Breaking Down Barriers Through Collaboration
The three-year grant, awarded by The Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Fund with Fifth Third Bank, N.A. as trustee, provides each participating school with $400,000 to enhance STEM programming and resources. This unprecedented cooperation between institutions traditionally viewed as competitors demonstrates a strategic shift toward collective advancement of female education.
“We’re commonly seen as competitors in the community. But what better way to lift each other up and collaborate together to be an example to our students,” explained Michelle Robinson, president of Mount Notre Dame High School, highlighting the paradigm shift this partnership represents.
Saint Ursula Academy President Leilia Kramer emphasized the unique nature of this collaboration, noting that having “five schools of all women to be able to benefit from opportunities for each school uniquely in the STEM world” is “really unheard of.”
Addressing Critical Educational Needs
The funding addresses significant challenges schools face in maintaining cutting-edge STEM programs. Resources for specialized equipment, laboratory spaces, and professional development have historically been difficult to secure, limiting schools’ ability to offer comprehensive STEM experiences.
Seton Principal Karen White outlined these challenges, explaining that STEM education often requires “certain equipment, or certain spaces, professional development for someone to teach the courses, which is always challenging, so this will allow us to do all of those things.”
The grant will support multiple enhancement areas across all five institutions, including classroom and laboratory upgrades, curriculum expansion, and comprehensive teacher training programs designed to keep pace with rapidly evolving STEM fields.
Empowering the Next Generation of Female Leaders
The initiative aligns with a broader mission of female empowerment that has deep historical roots. Heidi Jark, managing director of the Foundation Office at Fifth Third Bank, noted that “empowering young women has been at the heart of the Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Fund since its creation in 1908.”
This historical context underscores the grant’s significance in continuing a legacy of supporting female education and leadership development in Cincinnati. The funding comes at a critical time when STEM fields continue to show significant gender imbalances despite recent progress in encouraging female participation.
Student Perspective and Curriculum Innovation
Current students are witnessing firsthand how this collaboration will reshape their educational experience. Saint Ursula Academy senior Mica Kissing expressed enthusiasm about the timing, particularly as her school implements schedule changes focused on experiential learning.
“I’m really excited to see how it works into the curriculum, because Saint Ursula is changing our schedule, so it’s going to be more focused on experiential learning,” Kissing shared. “I feel like there’s already going to be a lot of opportunities. And now, combined with this grant for educators and students, they can kind of like step up and get involved in what they’re passionate about.”
Responding to Growing Demand
The collaboration reflects observable trends in student interest and career aspirations. School leaders report increasing numbers of female students expressing interest in STEM career paths, creating demand for enhanced programming and resources.
“We are seeing a much bigger shift for our students wanting to go into the STEM fields. Statistics show that, and we’re seeing it in all of our schools, so having this opportunity allows us to meet the girls where they want to be,” Kramer explained.
Implementation and Future Vision
The schools will begin implementing grant-funded programs during the 2025-2026 academic year, allowing time for strategic planning and resource development. The collaborative framework established through this initiative may serve as a model for future partnerships among the institutions.
Robinson views the grant as more than a one-time funding opportunity, describing it as “a platform to do even greater things.” This perspective suggests the partnership may extend beyond the three-year grant period, potentially establishing a new paradigm for collaborative educational advancement in the region.
Impact on Cincinnati’s Educational Landscape
This historic collaboration positions Cincinnati as a leader in innovative approaches to female STEM education. By transforming competitive relationships into collaborative partnerships, these five schools demonstrate how educational institutions can work together to address broader societal challenges while maintaining their individual identities and missions.
The initiative serves as a powerful example of how strategic collaboration can amplify resources and impact, potentially inspiring similar partnerships in other educational communities across the region and beyond.
Original article: Five Cincinnati all-girls Catholic schools collaborate on historic $2 million STEM grant – WCPO 9 News
