Miss America 2013, Mallory Hagan, admits that STEM weren’t easy subjects for her in school, but encourages that even if you aren’t good at them, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pursue them.
“[STEM subjects] were something I really struggled with as a teenager… it’s something that is just kind-of accepted,” Hagan said. “We don’t encourage them to push through and do what needs to be done in order to make that something that they’re good at.”
She realizes that for girls, it may be particularly hard for them to get involved in STEM fields because of the discouragement they receive. But she still stands firm in her position that women are very important to the STEM workforce.