Building STEPS
Building STEPS is a private, not-for-profit organization that exposes bright, underserved Baltimore City 1 high school students to science and technology-based careers, and helps them excel in these fields where minorities are overwhelmingly underrepresented.
The multi-year program, supplementing each student’s classroom learning, includes seminars, a summer internship, college counseling and alumni services. More than 90% of Building STEPS students have advanced to college, almost all of whom are the first to do so in their family.
Participating High Schools
Digital Harbor High School
Forest Park High School
Patterson High School
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
W.E.B. Du Bois High School
In the News…
Critical Steps - Baltimore Magazine 9-1-2008
http://www.buildingsteps.org/pdfs/BaltimoreMagazine_9-1-2008.pdf
Building STEPS to Careers in Science - Profiles in Diversity Journal 7-01-2008
http://www.buildingsteps.org/pdfs/Profiles_in_Diversity_Journal_07-01-2008.pdf
Baltimore Students Building Steps To A Bright Future - Baltimore Times 4-20-2007
http://www.buildingsteps.org/pdfs/BaltimoreTimes-04-20-2007.pdf
Science, Tech Program Expands In County - Examiner 4-18-2007
http://www.buildingsteps.org/pdfs/Examiner-04-18-2007.pdf
“Building Steps” Launching Expansion - BMORENEWS.com 4-11-2007
http://www.buildingsteps.org/pdfs/BMORENEWS-04-11-2007.pdf
A steppingstone for low‐income students - The Baltimore Sun 4-24-2007
http://www.buildingsteps.org/pdfs/BaltimoreSun-04-10-2007.pdf
TU teaches students technology essentials - The Towerlight 10-24-2005
http://www.buildingsteps.org/pdfs/Towerlight_10-24-2005.pdf
Steps to Success - Baltimore Magazine 4-1-2005
http://www.buildingsteps.org/pdfs/BaltimoreMag.pdf
Step by Step - Jewish Times Life Style 9-10-2004
http://www.buildingsteps.org/pdfs/jewishtimes.pdf
Getting Careers Down to a Science - The Baltimore Sun 11-27-2004
http://www.buildingsteps.org/pdfs/Sun-Article.pdf
Owings Mills Resident Encourages 'Her Kids' - The Jeffersonian 9-7-2004
http://www.buildingsteps.org/pdfs/Jeffersonian.pdf
Quick Facts…
Building Science Technology and Education Partnerships Inc. t/a Building STEPS is a not for profit organization that exposes bright, underserved high school students to science and technology-based careers, and helps them excel in these fields where minorities are overwhelmingly underrepresented. The multi-year program, supplementing each student’s classroom learning, includes seminars, a summer internship, college counseling and alumni services. More than 90% of Building STEPS students have advanced to college, almost all of whom are the first to do so in their family.
Building STEPS partners with Digital Harbor, W.E.B. Dubois, Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Forest Park and, Patterson high schools, helping a total of 60 juniors, 60 seniors and more than 100 alumni each year
The typical Building STEPS student lives in a single or no-parent household; qualifies for free or reduced lunch; and works a part-time job, often to help pay for household expenses
80% of Building STEPS students are the first in their family to go to college
Since 2001, more than 200 students have graduated from Building STEPS’ academic and professional development program
Building STEPS students have been accepted at 83 colleges and universities
Building STEPS students have earned almost $7 million in academic scholarship offers
94% of Building STEPS’ program graduates have advanced to college
85% of Building STEPS college students graduate from college in six years or less
Over two-thirds of Building STEPS’ college graduates have earned STEM degrees
Several Building STEPS graduates have already earned masters’ degrees, while many others are enrolled in graduate programs, including medical school
Many Building STEPS graduates have begun their professional careers, working at places such as McCormick & Company, Baxter Healthcare and PricewaterhouseCoopers
History
Building STEPS was founded in 1995 by Matthew Weinberg, CEO of The Weinberg Group, and was structured as an internship program designed to expose minority students to workplace dynamics and encourage post high school education, with an emphasis in science and technology.
Initially in Washington D.C., Building STEPS was relocated to Baltimore in September 1999. Baltimore, as a major metropolitan city, offers a variety of corporate and institutional internship opportunities that are accessible to the students.
The Baltimore area has the school systems to embrace the program and the community to support its mission. Baltimore boasts a civic-minded business community and a wealth of philanthropic organizations and foundations. Baltimore, with all of these assets, is also within close proximity to Washington D.C., allowing for Board member continuity.