Building a Better Future Through Partnership

Twenty-five young women from the Fleet Science Center’s Better Education for Women in STEM (BE WiSE) program recently joined a panel of women from Acadia Pharmaceuticals for a virtual conversation about building meaningful careers in STEM.

Hosted by Acadia’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) team and Women at Work Employee Resource Group (ERG), By Design: How the Women of Acadia Have Built Their Careers gave participants an opportunity to hear firsthand about different career paths, ask questions, and learn from women working across the life sciences. Participants left the panel not only with unique insight into possible STEM careers, but also with the curiosity and confidence to pursue them.

The panel was an early example of a new partnership between Acadia and the Fleet in action. By combining the Fleet’s commitment to connecting San Diegans with the power of science and Acadia’s commitment to making a difference in the communities it serves, the partnership is creating opportunities for greater impact than either organization could achieve alone.

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The partnership began with a contribution from Acadia supporting three Fleet programs designed to connect diverse communities with engaging STEM experiences: BE WiSE, Community Mornings and Sharp Minds. That support also created opportunities for Acadia employees to engage directly with the community, including the BE WiSE panel and a Community Morning at the Fleet during Hispanic Heritage Month supported by Acadia’s ¡HOLA! ERG.

As the relationship grew and the organizations identified new ways to advance their shared goals, Acadia shifted from program-specific funding to unrestricted support, giving the Fleet greater flexibility to direct resources across its programs and broaden the partnership’s impact.

“For the Fleet, Acadia’s support is crucial,” said Steve Snyder, President and CEO of the Fleet Science Center. “Their dedication to advancing STEM education enables us to continue providing meaningful STEM experiences for all San Diegans.”

“For Acadia, investing in the Fleet means investing in the future of science,” said Nancy Vance, Senior Director, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging at Acadia. “By helping the Fleet expand opportunities for youth and underserved communities to engage with science, envision themselves in STEM, and imagine the impact they could one day make, we are equipping the next generation of innovators with the curiosity they will need to create a better future.”

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At the heart of the Fleet’s mission is the belief that a better future begins by connecting people with science. For decades, the Fleet has worked to spark curiosity and build foundations for lifelong engagement with STEM. Through programs like BE WiSE, the Fleet goes beyond introducing young people to science, creating opportunities for them to build confidence, develop skills, and envision themselves contributing to its future.

Acadia shares that belief in the power of science, from advancing therapies for underserved patients to supporting the communities it serves in ways that extend beyond treatment.

That shared belief has shaped the partnership from the beginning and continues to create new possibilities for how the Fleet and Acadia can work together.

It is also what makes partnerships like this powerful. When a life science company and a community organization bring their respective strengths to a shared purpose, they can create meaningful impact today while helping inspire the scientists, innovators, and problem-solvers who will shape tomorrow.

Header image: Fleet Science Center and Acadia team members connect with the public at a community activation.