More Than 30 Years of Women in STEM at the University of Wisconsin–Platteville: Its Formation, Development, and Experiences [WIE From Around the World]

This article shows the evolution of the Women in STEM (WiSTEM) program at the University of Wisconsin–Platteville (UWP) over the past 30 years. The development of support programs for women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) requires flexibility, persistence, and strategy. When putting together the timeline of events associated with the development of WiSTEM, we noticed that success with these types of programs often does not occur overnight, but rather through years of commitment and effort. Additionally, we learned that there is not really any one particular event or program that has impacted it, but rather the importance of a sustained and consistent focus on developing a community, with attention on creating an inclusive climate for women in STEM. It is the synergy created by the sum of all of the individual parts that makes the program meaningful and successful.