The New York Yankees today announced the return of the New York Yankees STEM Scholars Program in partnership with STEM Educational Institute, Inc. Introduced in 2022 and kicking off its second addition today at Yankee Stadium, the initiative provides underrepresented New York City high school students the technological skills needed to enter today’s workforce and the tools to work toward building generational wealth.

The program serves as a career bridge for high school students to enter STEM fields and college majors. Students will participate in a one-week summer session (in-person), followed by eight Saturday fall sessions (in-person and virtually). These sessions put students on the path to earning a certification as a Data Analyst or Data Scientist.

During the summer program at Yankee Stadium, students are participating in an in-person curriculum that includes:

• STEM and Coding Skills: Hands-on training to solve real-world problems using the Python coding language.
• Generational Wealth and Future Goals: Students enroll in a 529 College Savings Plan with a scholarship from
  the New York Yankees. They also learn the basics of budgeting and investing to help prepare and save for college through a wealth management curriculum.
• Mental Health Resources: Support for coping with stress, study strategies and stress management skills.
• Baseball Analytics: Yankees baseball operations staff members have created a baseball-oriented education module to introduce baseball analytics applications for STEM skills.
• Career Bridge and Financial Stability: On completion of the program, the New York Yankees provide students a college scholarship and a stipend to support their daily needs. This stipend allows students to focus on learning skills that can transfer into internships or full-time positions.

“The New York Yankees are committed to developing the next generation of STEM leaders and professionals, and we are proud to contribute to that development with the New York Yankees STEM Scholars program in conjunction with the STEM Educational Institute,” said Brian Smith, Yankees Senior Vice President of Corporate/Community Relations. “Our annual commitment to this program provides resources that empower and strengthen lives by promoting STEM expertise and financial literacy, which are such critical components to workplace success and long-term personal stability. We are also excited to reach underserved populations through this initiative and have a part in cultivating a diverse network of young STEM talent for opportunities at the New York Yankees and beyond.”

“With the increased demand and need for knowledge in the sciences, only 44% of high school students are ready for college-level math, and only 36% are ready for college-level science,” said Nikisha Alcindor, President and Founder of STEM Educational Institute, Inc. “Despite these challenges, SEI hit many milestones. We went from one cohort to three, this is directly because of our partnership with the New York Yankees and their sincere care and concern for our community. We sincerely appreciate the generous contributions and invaluable expertise in data science that the New York Yankees have provided through the NYY STEM Scholarship Program. This partnership is changing the landscape of diversity in STEM and developing a true pipeline of analytical leaders.”

The program will conclude with a fundraiser at the Friday, September 8 Yankees vs. Milwaukee game. For more information about the STEM Educational Institute, please visit  http://www.stemeducationalinstitute.org or reach out to Nikisha Alcindor at (646) 546-7275 or [email protected].