Governor Fallin Recognizes Duncan as an Oklahoma STEM Community

October 16, 2015

The Duncan Banner

Governor Mary Fallin (center) honors the communty of Duncan's STEM Team.

Duncan, Oklahoma is now an official STEM Community. After the application was approved by CASMEO, Duncan received this designation from Governor Mary Fallin during the 2015 Governor’s STEM Summit in Oklahoma City.  

Duncan received this recognition for its commitment to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.  

Through a stringent application process the Duncan community demonstrated that leaders in industry, community, and education were partnering together to create an education and training pipeline. From elementary school through college and technical school, students will have ample opportunity to obtain STEM intellectual capital and technical capability.

Some of those annual plans include Teacher Tours of Industry (Manufacturing, Healthcare, Finance/Business), Student Tours of Industry, Public Tours of Manufacturing, Manufacturing in the Classroom, Duncan Area Youth Engineering Contest (CO2 car design and race), Career Pathways/Project Lead the Way/STARBASE in PK-12, and community participation in the state and national Dream It Do It initiative.

Dennis Loafman, Superintendent of Red River Technology Center said, “I believe relationships are critical to the success of any endeavor.  Duncan has a strong desire to improve the STEM workforce and STEM education.  

Relationships are in place to have great success in that endeavor, and progress is already being made.”

“Finding and recruiting technically skilled employees continues to be a challenge for the manufacturing industry, not just in Oklahoma, but nationwide.  Manufacturers today provide clean work environments and good paying career opportunities, we just need programs of interest to attract young people,” stated Walt Lentz with Cameron Measurement Systems.

Partners include: Halliburton, Cameron Measurement Systems, Wilco Machine & Fab, MIC Group, Southern Machine, Duncan Regional Hospital, Duncan Public Schools, Red River Technology Center, Cameron University, Duncan Area Economic Development Foundation, Duncan Optimist Club, and others.

Jeannie Bowden, Business & Industry Specialist for the Duncan Area Economic Development Foundation said,

“Current projections in Oklahoma’s workforce development show gaps in both technical capability and skill requirements. The end result of becoming an Oklahoma Stem Community is by addressing these gaps we will increase employee capacity, which ensures the citizens of the Duncan Area will be able to sustain a high quality of life by remaining relevant in our global competition for work.   The Duncan STEM Community of partners will continue in our steadfast determination to expand and improve our STEM education and workforce development.”