NEW ORLEANS – W.I.S.E. Women NOLA, a GNO, Inc. mentorship program created to increase women’s representation in the regional STEM workforce, has seen every participant who went on to college choose a STEM major.
When the program launched in 2022, GNO, Inc. set a goal of growing women’s share of the regional STEM workforce by 5% over five years. Nationally, women accounted for 36% of the STEM workforce in 2024, according to a 2026 report from the National Science Foundation.
W.I.S.E. Women connects Greater New Orleans high school girls with STEM employers, mentors and educational opportunities and has served more than 80 young women, awarded $50,000 in scholarships and seen 94% of eligible participants enroll in STEM-based AP or dual-enrollment courses.
This year, W.I.S.E. Women served 24 students from Jefferson, Orleans and St. Bernard parishes. Participants met weekly with mentors in June and July and took part in career and educational experiences with employers, universities and other organizations across the region.
“The results demonstrate what can happen when young women have intentional access to STEM career exposure, employers, mentors and rigorous educational pathways,” said Daphine Barnes, executive director of workforce at GNO, Inc.
2026 W.I.S.E. Women Cohort
Ten members of the 2026 cohort were high school seniors, and all received scholarships to attend college. They plan to attend institutions including LSU, Hampton University, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Southern University at New Orleans, Mississippi State University and Millsaps College, pursuing majors including kinesiology, nursing, nuclear engineering, biology, mechanical engineering and aerospace engineering.
Among them is Chloe Nero, who earned an associate degree in Aerospace Technology from Nunez Community College while completing her high school diploma. She plans to study aerospace engineering at Mississippi State.
“Many of our alumnae are still completing their degrees, so it is too early to measure entry into STEM occupations across all cohorts,” Barnes said. “However, their continued pursuit of rigorous STEM coursework in high school and STEM majors in college provides strong early evidence of the program’s impact.”
STEM Career Preparation
The 2026 program included experiences with NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility, RNGD, Chevron Oronite, AOS Interior Environments, the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans, Tulane University, the University of Holy Cross, Community Sailing and LOOP NOLA.
Participants took part in laboratory experiences at Tulane and the University of Holy Cross, received exposure to 3D modeling and additive manufacturing and explored career paths in fields including aerospace, engineering, energy, construction, health care, advanced manufacturing, infrastructure and design.
Across five annual cohorts since 2022, GNO, Inc. has invested more than $100,000 in W.I.S.E. Women, including $50,000 in scholarships and funding for programming and participant experiences. Of that scholarship funding, GNOrocs awarded $12,500 to eligible participants in the 2026 cohort, with eligibility tied to successful completion of program requirements.
A Broader STEM Workforce Approach
Despite those outcomes, GNO, Inc. does not plan to continue W.I.S.E. Women in its current format. Barnes said the program’s “high-touch” cohort model also revealed limitations.
“WISE Women has produced strong results, but it has also helped us identify limitations inherent in a high-touch cohort model,” Barnes said. “Transportation remains a barrier for students across our region, and a cohort of 24 young women, while impactful for those participants, limits the number of students we can reach. We want to take what worked and expand its reach.”
The next phase will seek to reach more students by building closer ties between Greater New Orleans schools and industry, while giving educators STEM-focused training, resources and greater exposure to the skills, technologies and career opportunities shaping the regional economy.
“By strengthening educators and their connections to industry, we can reach significantly more students, support greater academic rigor and career preparation, and better position Greater New Orleans students to compete for STEM education and career opportunities,” Barnes said.
