OSC Receives Grant for YWSI Program

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Jun 13, 2005) — 

The Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC) recently received a $12,000 Ingram-White Castle Foundation grant for its Young Women ' s Summer Institute (YWSI) program.

This will mark the second year that the Ingram-White Castle Foundation has granted YWSI funding to OSC.

"Working with middle-school students and teachers and sharing the excitement of science and technology with a group of females are energizing and rewarding experiences," said Leslie Southern, Co-director of YWSI. "It's with the help of such programs as the Ingram-White Castle Foundation that these activities are possible. Our many thanks for its support."

YWSI was established four years ago by OSC to support middle-school girls' pursuit of science and technology education. In that short time, YWSI has become a highly successful program in encouraging middle-school girls to pursue careers in science, math, and technology.

YWSI is a weeklong camp during which most activities focus on learning science, math, and technology through a project on environmental watershed issues. Most of YWSI takes place at OSC, and the students live in dorms on The Ohio State University campus. During YWSI, students recruited from schools across Ohio learn about scientific method, watershed biology and chemistry, computer modeling, statistics, and presentation fundamentals. They also learn about scientific and technology careers for women. Kent State University also hosts a YWSI program on its campus.

Supporting education has always been one of the Ingram-White Castle Foundation's core values. The Foundation operates with a mission to provide nourishment to those throughout central Ohio who hunger for knowledge, independence, and self-sufficiency. It places an emphasis on efforts that empower young people with the desire for self-improvement and full participation in a free society.

The Ingram-White Castle Foundation supports projects that serve disadvantaged students by helping them achieve academic success. It also helps prepare students for the work world, strengthens educational institutions, and addresses critical human services needs.