Women In STEM Seminar Continues to Inspire Clarence High School Students

In its third year at Clarence High School, the Women in STEM seminar continues to open doors for female students to consider academic and professional paths they may not have otherwise known.

“It’s really valuable to show students what people where you are from can do,” said Dr. Katherine Spoth, a 2008 Clarence High School graduate who is now a cryo-electron microscopist at the University at Buffalo Hauptman-Woodward Research Institute. “It gives them more ideas on where they can go and what they can experience.”

The December 19, 2025 event, coinciding with the last day of classes before Winter Recess, drew about 60 students for a class fair to share about STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) classes available at the High School, and about 45 students to hear from a panel of distinguished alumnae. 

Taking part in this year’s panel were Grace Ameis (Class of 2020), a show mechanical engineer Intern at Walt Disney World; Dr. Theresa Creasey (Class of 1975), a retired executive vice president at Milliporesigma; Mikaela Hastings (Class of 2019), a medical student at the University at Buffalo’s Jacobs School of Medicine; Kristen Sickau (Class of 2017), an actuarial consultant at Deloitte; Megan Wojciechowski (Class of 2020), a tech engineer at Ford Motor Company and Dr. Spoth. 

The alumnae group spoke to students about topics like choosing their college and career paths, mentorship, overcoming challenges and making the most of opportunities presented to them.

“You have so many opportunities here in Clarence,” Hastings said. “Take advantage of them.”

For Dr. Spoth, the seminar was an opportunity to thank the teachers that inspired her path, and to share her experience with students. After graduating High School in 2008, Spoth earned degrees at University of Buffalo and Cornell University. Her current work in cryo-electron microscopy involves the study of protein structures to support medical research. 

“There wasn’t something like this (Women in STEM event) when I was a student,” Dr. Spoth said. “I didn’t know 10 percent of the jobs I could do.”

David Smith, an AP Physics teacher at the High School, shared how the organization of the event was taken on by current students, and how that experience has been impactful for recent graduates. About a half dozen former organizers of the event were in attendance for this year’s event.

“They’re coming back to be a part of this, to be observers and to meet current students,” he said. “It validates what we’re trying to do here.”

Recent High School graduates are also interacting with panelists outside of the event, Smith said, building meaningful connections that can help their development. 

For High School senior Avery Collins, seeing younger students at the High School participate at the event was an opportunity to “pass the torch.”

“Seeing the new people gives me hope this movement won’t stop, and people will be empowered to pursue these careers,” she said.