Empowering Female STEM Graduates 
The SheSTEM Mentorship Orientation Program was held on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at Hotel Bengal Blueberry in Gulshan. The event brought together a diverse group of professionals committed to addressing the gender disparity and empowering women in STEM.
SheSTEM is supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and implemented by a consortium of five partner organizations: LightCastle Partners, 10 Minute School, a2i, DevLearn Consulting, and Policy Exchange Bangladesh. The orientation program marked the beginning of a structured mentorship journey aimed at supporting female STEM students in their academic and professional development.
A total of 27 mentors joined the event, representing key industries including telecommunications, manufacturing, electronics, steel, IT, research, and services. Their participation reflects a growing commitment to supporting women in STEM fields through mentorship and sector-specific guidance.
The program opened with remarks from the SheSTEM team at LightCastle Partners. Tasnia Isbat introduced the broader vision of the initiative, highlighting the importance of building stronger connections between industry and academia and supporting female students with relevant skills and networks. Zinat Khan Moddhoma presented an overview of the mentorship process, outlining how the one-on-one model will support goal setting, skill-building, and career navigation.
Shazzad Hossain Mukit and Raihana Rahim from 10 Minute School delivered a walkthrough of the mentorship platform hosted on the 10 Minute School website. The session detailed key functions such as booking, rescheduling, providing feedback, and platform safeguarding features. A Q&A session followed, where mentors shared practical insights on navigating early-career challenges in STEM, with an emphasis on soft skill development and workplace resilience.
Throughout the discussions, both mentors and consortium representatives acknowledged the importance of collaborative efforts in strengthening the participation of women in STEM fields. By aligning institutional priorities with SheSTEM’s objectives, the event reinforced a shared commitment to building more inclusive and future-ready talent pipelines.
The program concluded with a group photograph, followed by dinner and informal networking. These interactions set the tone for a collaborative and sustained mentorship journey.
With its first cohort of mentors and active engagement from partner organizations and the Netherlands Embassy, SheSTEM is moving forward with a clear focus on empowering women in STEM through mentorship and sectoral collaboration.
