According to research by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Mentorship increases retention rates for women in STEM by 75% – having a mentor significantly improves retention rates for women in STEM programs, ensuring they continue their studies and stay engaged in the field.

Since 2017, our "New Face of Tech" scholarship program, in partnership with the 1,000 Dreams Fund, has provided funding and mentorship to women at the start of their careers. This year, we awarded scholarships to 25 U.S.-based recipients, and for the first time ever, 25 international recipients – the largest group of New Face of Tech winners in the program's history!

In honor of National Mentoring Month, we are spotlighting some of our 2024 scholarship winners and HARMAN mentors who shared how being involved in this program has had an impact on their journeys, challenges they have faced, and their advice for women pursuing STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) careers.

“Being selected as a New Face of Tech winner is an incredible honor that fuels my passion for integrating technology into women's healthcare. This recognition empowers me to innovate as a future medical professional and improve lives through advanced, tech-driven solutions.”

- Lauren F., Spelman College, Health Science

“Being chosen as the New Face of Tech means so much to me! My career goal is to create meaningful video games, with a social, cultural and educational impact. This recognition is a reminder of my potential, but most importantly, it motivates me to continue proving my value as a professional while developing games that make a difference.”

- Nathaly K., University of Lima, Communications

“I’m incredibly honored to be selected as a New Face of Tech Winner. This recognition empowers me to continue pushing boundaries in my research on Generative AI and social impact. I’m excited to join a community of innovators and contribute to shaping the future of technology.”

- Hannah G., Harvard University, Computer Science, Statistics

“I’m incredibly excited and grateful to be recognized as a New Face of Tech! A huge thank you to 1,000 Dreams Fund and HARMAN International for this incredible honor and for inspiring me—and so many other students—to dream big and break barriers in tech. Thank you for turning thousands of dreams into reality!”

- Rajnandini S., University of Michigan-Dearborn, Computer and Information Science

HARMAN mentors also shared takeaways from their experience as women in STEAM and on the value of mentorship:

"It was such a fun experience. My mentee and I had an amazing talk and I really enjoyed hearing from her and getting to provide a bit of insight from my experience. "

 - Brianna Broderick

"It was a great learning experience for me. My mentee was a very interesting and intelligent person, we worked on the problem statement where she needed to figure out and understand the difference between the Job role in a startup and having her own startup. I am sure she will do well in the medical device R&D field. Since this was the first and one of its kind process to connect with a completely new person, it was exciting.  I also enjoyed helping in her thought process and her doubts."

- Arjun Singh

Through our global cause initiative, HARMAN Inspired, we are dedicated to investing in programs like New Face of Tech to break down barriers for the next generation of women to pursue careers in STEAM. Learn more about the inspiring stories and career aspirations of this year's New Face of Tech scholarship winners: https://1000dreamsfund.org/1000-dreams-fund-announces-the-winners-for-our-8th-annual-new-face-of-tech-scholarship-program/