Creston, IA—Southwestern Community College recently announced Beth Kulow of Creston as the first STEM hub manager for southwest Iowa. STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The state of Iowa has appropriated funding to establish regional STEM hubs across the state.
In May 2012, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds, and University of Northern Iowa President Ben Allen announced the selection of six regional network hubs to promote STEM education and economic development across Iowa. According to the governor’s website, each STEM hub will work with business, education institutions, nonprofit groups and others in their region in a way that best fits local needs, interests, and resources.
The six Iowa STEM hubs are:
• Northwest – Iowa Lakes Community College
• Northeast – University of Northern Iowa
• North Central – Iowa State University
• Southwest – Southwestern Community College
• Southeast – University of Iowa & Kirkwood Community College
• South Central – Drake University
The governor’s STEM Advisory Council, which oversees the Iowa STEM hub, is a public-private partnership whose overarching goal is creating greater student achievement in STEM subjects and a stronger STEM workforce.
Kulow most recently served as the director for the Creston site of Buena Vista University Graduate & Professional Studies. Kulow has a bachelor of science in education from Western Illinois University and a master of arts in education from the University of Northern Iowa. She teaches for Buena Vista University as well.
The state’s STEM funding is supported by a budget as set annually and reviewed by the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council and the Regional Advisory Council. For more information about the STEM efforts in Iowa, please visit www.iowastem.gov. To contact the southwest Iowa STEM hub directly, e-mail