“Dr. Adrienne Nathan chose to pursue a career in STEM education so she could improve the education system and be a bridge for students.”

As a native Michigander, Dr. Nathan has spent her entire life in Michigan schools. Growing up in the same district that she would later work in, she prioritized the pursuit of higher education in hopes of using her learnings to help students in her home state. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from the University of Michigan, Dr. Nathan started her career as a middle and high school teacher in Michigan. After 10 years, Dr. Nathan pivoted to education consulting, and soon after, decided to bolster her educational training by obtaining a doctorate degree in education policy and administration at Wayne State University in Detroit.

Despite having a deep love for education, Dr. Nathan did not experience the most positive educational environment as a child. Teachers did not encourage pursuit of subjects like math and science, areas she believed she was more than capable of successfully tackling. As a result, Dr. Nathan wanted to make a difference in the education system by enriching STEM curriculums to make a positive impact on education in her home state.

Dr. Nathan returned to the public school system and soon became the director of Community Partnerships and Outreach for Wayne-Westland Community Schools. There, she oversaw the development of the K-8 STEM Center, which included collaboration with Deloitte’s Smart Factory Believers program. Through the program, the STEM Center received more than 30 Smart Rovers, a robotics educational kit, and a robust curriculum provided by Deloitte and its collaborators. The Rovers quickly upskilled Wayne-Westland students through its real-world applications and the hands-on experience of coding, helping bridge the gap between novice and experienced programmers.

“We found that the STEM kits really enhanced students’ understanding of the mechanics of robotics construction. We introduced the Smart Rover to our FIRST® robotics team and they quickly became experts, winning state competitions, which springboarded them to the National Robotics championships with schools all over the country!”

These competitions not only fostered Wayne-Westland students’ STEM and robotics education, but also provided new ways to engage with teenagers outside their community interested in robotics. One student reflected that, while he had interest in STEM ahead of the program, his autism diagnosis played a role in his social engagements with peers. He said the Believers program and robotics competition enhanced these opportunities. He was able to forge new relationships and build his network—something that previously was extremely challenging.

Through the Smart Factory Believers program, Dr. Nathan has witnessed firsthand the power of access to quality resources and learning. She noticed that every time a student used a Rover, there was a “light bulb” moment, and they were genuinely excited and proud to accomplish something they initially believed to be complex and hard.

“Growing up in Wayne-Westland, I didn’t have access to the types of opportunities that the Believers program has brought to the district. When we were able to take the Rovers to the middle school that I attended, it helped me connect the importance of access and why programs like this are so valuable.”

This past year, Dr. Nathan transitioned to a new role as the assistant superintendent for Carman-Ainsworth Community Schools in Flint, Michigan. At the start of her tenure, Dr. Nathan realized that she had a new opportunity to continue working with the Believers program to give more students exposure and access to high-quality STEM education.

“There is a different level of access to STEM here, which is why we don’t have a formal STEM program in any of our schools. However, this means that I can start from the ground level again and use the Believers program to remove some of the roadblocks caused by lack of resources to build a quality STEM program for the students in this district.”

As assistant superintendent, Dr. Nathan has huge hopes for what the Believers program will be able to contribute to her current district. She has already been able to restart a robotics team and is excited to see the impact that the program will have on her students in the future.

“It’s my job to help build connections and bring more STEM expertise and exposure to local communities. I BELIEVE the Smart Factory Believers program helps people, like me, who are working hard to ensure children today can have more opportunities to pursue STEM education and the workforce careers of tomorrow.”