A parent recently asked me to give his sons advice and words of encouragement for the beginning of their college career.  What I shared with them inspired this episode's message. 

1. Do Your Best
2. Get Some Rest
3. Leave the Nest

What does it mean to be a "cheerchemist"?  Are you a cheerleader?  Are you a chemist?  The answer to both question is YES.  This week's guest, Natalie LaFranzo, PhD, has used her talents for inspiring others since her college days of cheering sports events at Bradley Univesrity. 

She began to transfer her skill of cheering into championing after receiveing her PhD and became more active in the American Chemical Society.  She has held a range of leadership roles at all levels and is passionate about ensuring the chemical enterprse exeplifies the ACS core value of diversity,equity, inclusion, and respect.   Her most recent accomplishment of being elected to the Society's Board of Directors will empower her to be an even greater Champion of Chemistry for ALL!

Follow Natalie on Twitter: @CheerChemist

Connect on LinkedIn:  Natalie LaFranzo

Representative Rev. Harold M. Love, Jr., PhD is a proud graduate of Tennessee State University (TSU), the only public Historically Black College or University in Tennessee.  In this episode we discuss his experiences attending an HBCU and the impact that it had on his personal and professional paths. 

In a full circle moment of giving back to his alma mater and continuing the legacy of his father, Rep. Love championed efforts that showed the State of Tennessee may have underfunded TSU by as much as $544 million in matching payments.  As a result, the university will receive $318 million in one-time capital funding for the 2023 fiscal year.

From painful losses to historic memorable moments, Rep. Love fondly describes his HBCU as a nurturing environment that enabled him to 'dream big dreams' and establish lifelong friendships.

To learn more about the Tennessee State University, an 1890 landgrant instituion visit the website  

To learn more about the underfunding of HBCUS over that past 30+ years, a Bloomberg produced the docustory Short Changed Black Colleges Fight for Equal Funding and Forbes wrote an article entitled For HBCUs Cheated Out of Billions, Bomb Threats Are The Latest Indignity

This is a 31 day journey of topics to invoke STEMulating conversations on what it takes to turn your intent into results.

This is a 31 day journey of topics to invoke STEMulating conversations on what it takes to turn your intent into results.

This is a 31 day journey of topics to invoke STEMulating conversations on what it takes to turn your intent into results.

This is a 31 day journey of topics to invoke STEMulating conversations on what it takes to turn your intent into results.

This is a 31 day journey of topics to invoke STEMulating conversations on what it takes to turn your intent into results.