The StepUP Program

The StepUP Program was formed to close critical gaps in resources, career opportunities, and diverse role models for middle and high school students from under-represented communities in STEM – Women, Black, Latinx, Indigenous, LGBTQ and low-income communities. To close these gaps, an innovative, end-to-end solution has been developed by three nonprofit leaders with decades of experience supporting teachers, students, and companies – the Krause Center for Innovation, Science from Scientists, and Ignited.

StepUP has three main elements:

Industry-Critical Content

We focus on technology and science content important to companies, but not taught in middle and high schools.

Teacher Professional Development

We’ve created an end-to-end process that prepares teachers for delivering exciting new industry content.

Diverse role models

We bring a diverse group of company subject-matter experts into classrooms as student role models and company ambassadors.

StepUP implementations are supported by cross-sector communities of practice that maintain the relationships between company subject-matter experts and teachers. A set of company and career awareness tools are also part of each program and help employees become stronger ambassadors as they sharpen their communication skills and craft the stories of their careers.