Students across all 50 states are showcasing their talent and connecting with opportunity through online networking platform

STEM Premier, an online platform that helps connect students with post-secondary institutions and organizations, announced today that it has surpassed 250,000 student members, three years after launching its networking platform. Making up this milestone are a diverse group of students across all 50 states, from more than 19,000 schools and 2,000 colleges, with interests in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) as well as other industries.

For the Charleston-based tech start-up, surpassing a quarter million student members is more than a milestone, it's about connecting students, schools and businesses in powerful ways that enhance the success of everyone involved. "Our mission from the very beginning has been simple – helping students to be seen," said Casey Welch, COO and co-founder. "Each of our student members has a unique story – from showcasing their accomplishments and experience, to connecting to colleges, to discovering apprenticeship and career opportunities. It's these stories, told through STEM Premier, that allow the students to stand out from the competition and really shine."

Through the online platform, students, ages 13 and up, create comprehensive digital profiles showcasing their skills, talents and abilities. Colleges, universities, and corporations can identify emerging talent, view student profiles, and connect via direct message – bridging the gap between talent and opportunity earlier. By exposing aspiring young individuals to higher education and the many sectors within STEM including health-related occupations, mechanical engineering and computer science, STEM Premier is able to tailor each students' experiences based on their profile.

"Take for example, STEM Premier high-school student member Cody Corneglio," continued Welch. "Cody joined STEM Premier after completing the ACT Test. He received an email from ACT inviting him to create a free STEM Premier account so that he could share his test scores along with his other accomplishments, with businesses, schools and organizations who may be looking for someone just like him. And that's exactly what happened."

Cummins Turbo Technologies, a STEM Premier client, was interested in identifying and recruiting talented students for their apprenticeship program. Through STEM Premier, Cummins was able to identify a diverse pool of students who were the right fit for their program. Corneglio was among them. After receiving a direct message from Cummins inquiring whether he'd be interested in their program, Corneglio immediately jumped at the opportunity.

"What I like most about STEM Premier is that it gives students the chance to get their name out there and find opportunities they would not know about otherwise. I am truly grateful that STEM Premier helped make the opportunity with Cummins possible," explained Corneglio.

STEM Premier continues to welcome not just students who are focused in STEM fields, but others who have skills and interests in the creative arts, design, business-related careers and more. Virtually all types of talent can sign up, build a profile and begin to open doors for scholarships, internships, training programs and permanent employment.

About STEM Premier

STEM Premier(r) is an innovative online solution that connects talent, post-secondary institutions, and employers in one digital ecosystem. The solution is uniquely designed to assist talent in planning their own educational and/or career pathway as early as age 13 and to showcase their academic and technical achievements in particular areas, such as STEM, throughout high school and beyond. The solution also provides a targeted recruiting tool for colleges and employers, via talent profiles and direct messaging, to engage talented individuals and ensure a stable and continuous workforce pipeline. The result is a single end-to-end platform that serves the needs of talent, post-secondary institutions, and employers and tracks individuals from educational experiences to workplace success.