STEM to Stern and USRowing Join Forces to Make Rowing More Diverse and Inclusive

USRowing (Princeton, N.J.) and STEM to Stern (Milwaukee, Wis.) have joined forces to expand the reach and accessibility of rowing across the United States, making it the largest rowing program focused on diversity, inclusion and competition in the country. This partnership will be initially funded through the generous support of Winklevoss Capital.

The STEM to Stern (STS) program currently boasts 13 partnerships nationally and offers USRowing an opportunity to support a successful organization as well as build on their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. STS will provide its staff, its STEM and rowing curricula, program structure and its community-based programmatic approach. USRowing will provide its infrastructure, resources, personnel and experience. Under the operating agreement, USRowing will take over administrative duties and fundraising for STS which was founded in 2018 and has seen early success in its mission.

STEM to Stern Founder and Director, Will Bott will maintain control of day-to-day operations and will be a critical architect in how the two organizations grow and evolve.

"This partnership will help take STEM to Stern, and our mission to make clubs more diverse and competitive, to the next level," said Bott. "We're excited to have access to resources that will help us grow faster and more effectively, and we are thrilled to work with Amanda and her team."

USRowing CEO Amanda Kraus, who has over 20 years experience in community rowing as the founder of Row New York, has a commitment to making the sport more inclusive. She is eager to work with STS which has a proven track record with its "boots on the ground" approach––something she believes is critical to achieving the organization's goals.

"USRowing has the know-how in terms of how to operationalize a rowing program––what we needed and something that Will's organization provides, is the community-based approach to ensure long-term success––success in making our sport accessible, as well as success in making our sport more competitive," said Kraus. "Supplying boats and equipment is simply step one, the hard part is truly understanding a community's needs––things like transportation to and from practice, and swim lessons for kids who may never have had access to a water source. Will and his people get this."

STEM to Stern will keep its independent non-profit status and its Board of Directors who will help ensure the success of the partnership.

Board member David Banks elaborates, "the exciting thing about STS is the program's ability to leverage the energy and resources of many different community members to help provide increased accessibility to the sport of rowing. The program engages individual clubs, students, parents, teachers, schools, universities and colleges, local vendors, as well as other community organizations in an inclusive and fun way. The problems this sport has faced with respect to access, opportunity and inclusivity for all are too difficult to attack alone and STS helps to provide a simple framework to engage everyone to be a part of the mission to create change."

USRowing is proud to report that this partnership is being supported by Winklevoss Capital, the Venture Firm of Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss. The Principals pledged $250,000 to help expand the STEM to Stern programs.

"We are thrilled to be supporting STEM to Stern," said Winklevoss. "Programs such as this will not only diversify the sport of rowing, but will provide those who participate mentorship, learnings of tenacity and a strong community. "

Donors who wish to support the STEM to Stern program at USRowing can do so by visiting our STEM to Stern giving page.

For more information on the STEM to Stern program, please visit https://www.stemtosternrowing.org

And to learn more about USRowing DEI efforts go to USRowing's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Winklevoss Capital invests in early stage companies, providing capital and guidance to entrepreneurs who have risk-taking in their DNA. For more information visit https://winklevosscapital.com/

For more information, contact:

Colleen Bailey, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer

colleen.bailey@usrowing.org