The Shoulders of Giants, Inc. (TSoG), a Dallas-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation, was founded in 2013 on the belief that world-class science education should be available to all students of all ages. Beginning with a passionate PhD developing educational platforms to share with children at libraries, TSoG quickly evolved into a laboratory safe space for high school students to explore technical career paths.
Over the last 9 years, Dr. Foland has been a steady, dependable confidant for his students as they navigated their career paths. Some of the students who first entered the TSoG lab in 2015 as high school students are engineers or scientists themselves now; some are now pursuing medical school or graduate degrees in STEM fields; others have taken pathways into STEM adjacent fields. What this diverse group all share in common is the perspective of The Shoulders of Giants' Mentorship philosophy:
Today, the core of our volunteer base are individuals who have appreciated the mentor role that Dr. Foland filled in their formative years. In turn, they want to serve that same role for others and see the cascading impact continue to future generations.
Prior to the pandemic, STEM achievement gaps for K-12 students were significant. With prolonged school closures and virtual curricula shifts over the 2020/2021 school year, the disparities are now even more glaring. In response, our leadership team is navigating a path to expand in-person STEM experiences that support communities in need through TSoG's cascading impact model of technical mentorship. TSoG is uniquely positioned to reopen a laboratory environment that will serve North Texas communities. With a new environment for students to explore science and engineering fields, we are renewing our commitment to improving access to low-cost or free programming with the goal to make gains in STEM diversity.
To share the thrill of scientific discovery.
The Shoulders of Giants strives to share the thrill of scientific discovery and we believe that one should never stop being a student. The pursuits of science and engineering are rewarding and engaging experiences that, unfortunately, most students do not have the opportunity to fully explore. We exist to help bring that opportunity to all students, of all ages.
Since 2015, TSoG has operated a high school mentorship program for high school students which quickly became a casual environment and safe space to explore various fields, network with industry professionals, and learn how to be critical thinkers and engineers. Back when we opened that first lab, it was quite a roll of the dice. Our team of volunteers dedicated an enormous amount of money and physical work to make it a productive and welcoming place for our students. In the fall of 2022, we are approaching our 10-year anniversary as a nonprofit at the same time it is also becoming safer to be together. With a celebratory mindset, we plan to reopen a new laboratory that will serve North Texas students who seek to explore STEM careers. The location is being researched at this time (will update this profile as more solidified plans arise).
The new lab location will require $14,000 in additional furniture, basic instrumentation, and various lab buildout requirements to allow for safe student exploration with new class offerings.
Your generous NTGD donations will provide associated building materials, paint, furniture, and safety equipment required to open the new TSoG laboratory.
TSoG programming aims to address widening inequities among student groups. Only 10% of school-age kids in Texas participate in critical Out of School (OST) programs. TSoG is uniquely positioned to address the unmet demand for after-school programming and STEM opportunities for students. TSoG Strives to attract and accept students, volunteers, and leadership who are representative of the region being served.
TSoG conducts annual volunteer training with the core purpose of:
- Helping our team understand students' modes of learning and communication styles.
- Cultural and socioeconomic competence - educating staff and volunteers on ways to create a stable and safe environment for K-12 students. (This training is based on current trends and peer-reviewed studies.)
Organization name
The Shoulders of Giants, Inc.
Causes
Education - K-12, Education - STEM, Education - Career Prep
Operating Budget
Less than $100,000
Counties Served
Collin, Dallas, Denton, Rockwall
BIPOC Serving
Black or African American, Asian/Pacific Islander
BIPOC Leadership
Neither/None
Equity Statement
Equity Statement
Address
5435 N Garland Ave #140-514