Mallory Donald presided over the meeting. Allen Anderson provided the opening prayer. Shirley Moore led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Mallory led the club in the Four Way Test. The meeting was held at the Mugshots Bar and Grill in Hattiesburg. 
 
Stew Deen then conducted the 50/50 raffle. Mary Cromartie was the winner. 
 
Stew introduced visitors. Prospective members Courtney Payton, Lec Kemp and Latreka Rankin were in attendance.  Nadine Armstrong with the City of Hattiesburg was also in attendance.
 
Mallory announced Brandon Hodges has moved to Ellisville, so we will need a volunteer to take over the newsletter.
 
Mark Killingsworth then introduced today’s guest speaker, Julie Cwikla, Ph.D. Dr. Julie Cwikla, professor of Mathematics Education in The University of Southern Mississippi’s College of Arts and Sciences, she was named 2021-23 T.W. Bennett Distinguished Professor of Mathematics Education.
 
The Center for STEM Education offers Certificate, M.S., and Ph.D. programs in STEM education as well as opportunities to collaborate on STEM education research.
 
The Center for STEM Education, established in 1964, has served almost 1500 graduate students in mathematics and science education. The graduate degree programs currently serve nearly 40 masters and doctoral level students. We stimulate, develop, and support interdisciplinary STEM education research initiatives both on and off campus. We also design and provide STEM Education outreach activities for the region.
 
The Center for STEM Education serves three main missions:
 
(1) Academic Programs: We offer STEM Education Certificate, Masters and Doctoral programs with content areas including mathematics, biology, chemistry, marine science, polymers, computer science, and more. Students may pursue research focused on any area of human development in STEM learning, in formal or informal settings, and at any level - Elementary, Secondary, or Post-Secondary. 
 
 
(2) Research: We design and develop research programs and grant proposals for our students to participate and learn about STEM education research methods and design. 
 
(3) Outreach: We design and implement STEM outreach programs across the region both on and off campus. These include the State and Regional Science Fairs for Regions I and VI, Hackathons, STEM Invitationals, Lunch-and-Learn Speaker Series, VEX robotics competitions, and more.
 
We have full time graduate students and serve many working educators in K12 and higher education. Graduate admissions allow students to begin one of their programs in the Spring, Summer, or Fall.
 
Please feel free to contact her with any questions, set a meeting on campus or via Zoom to discuss any of our courses, graduate student supports, and Center events. And all are always welcome to attend the STEM Education Speaker Series offered on zoom monthly and be a part of the conversation.
 
 
For more information feel free to contact Julie at Julie.Cwikla@usm.edu or visit https://www.usm.edu/stem-education   .
 
 
There being no further business to come before the club, Mallory thanked Julie for her remarks and then adjourned the meeting with our motto: “Service Above Self.”