Improving and Increasing Public Support for Science Education in Massachusetts

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Company/Organization: Genzyme Corporation
CEO/Board Chair: Henri A. Termeer, President & CEO
State: Massachusetts
Level of Involvement: State & National
Type of Initiative: Advocacy & Philanthropy
Target Education Priority: Getting More Innovation Workers in the Pipeline

“We don’t just think about it, we don’t just talk about it, but we do it…and we hinge our commitment on partnerships and lead by example.” – Judy Ozbun, Associate Director of Community Affairs, Genzyme Corporation.

Overview
In 1998, the Genzyme Corporation, a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, took its theory of corporate philanthropy to the next level. Realizing that many of the company’s employees were already volunteering their own time and money to a variety of organizations and schools throughout the state, the senior management at Genzyme built a Community Relations department to leverage existing corporate and employee giving, volunteerism and advocacy efforts. Although this decision came from the senior management, it was in recognition of the persistence and dedication of Genzyme’s employees to philanthropy in their communities.

In the few years since the creation of this department, Genzyme has moved from supporting isolated programs and initiatives to developing sustainable and deep partnerships and relationships with key nonprofit organizations. Genzyme believes statewide and regional initiatives are effective strategies to reach the company’s goals of improving and increasing public support for science education. Two partnerships that Genzyme has recently expanded upon are with the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council and the Museum of Science in Boston. Genzyme has upped its financial and leadership support to ensure that students – and the larger Massachusetts public – are more aware of the growing importance and relevance of science in their daily lives.

Strategies for Success
Genzyme has long been a member of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, a coalition of organizations in the biotech industry. In 2001, Genzyme played a major role in the creation of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation (MassBioEd), the Council’s philanthropic arm that focuses on improving science education. Judy Ozbun, the Associate Director of Community Affairs at Genzyme, serves as MassBioEd’s chair. MassBioEd works throughout the state to improve science instruction and provide leadership for those invested in growing the science and biotechnology workforce.

One major initiative of MassBioEd is BioTeach, of which Genzyme is the lead sponsor. This is a multi-year grant that provides high-need schools in Massachusetts with lab equipment and teacher training. The teacher training has dual purposes; it helps teachers prepare lessons with a biotechnology focus and understand how to talk about careers in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, including careers that do not necessarily require a bachelor’s degree. The ultimate goal of BioTeach is to provide modern equipment and knowledgeable teachers to ensure that students throughout Massachusetts will be able to get hands-on experience in the field of biotechnology and better understand how relevant the subject is in both every day life and future job opportunities.

Additionally, in early 2006, Genzyme expanded on its long-standing relationship with the Museum of Science in Boston by launching the new Genzyme Biotechnology Education Initiative. Based on a $2 million grant, the Initiative will support a wide range of new programs, including the creation of the “Hall of Human Life,” a new biotechnology-themed exhibit, educational forums, K-12 model curricula in science and technology, professional development workshops for teachers and presentations for school groups. Genzyme believes this Initiative will be a major force in educating the public about the field of biotechnology and how it impacts their daily lives.

Genzyme incorporates advocacy and philanthropic strategies recommended by Business Toolkit for Better Schools in a variety of ways, including:

Join or start local or statewide nonprofit coalitions of like-minded business leaders to advance education reform
Organize, support and partner with education, civic and political allies
Lend corporate influence and prestige to key organizations and activities
Build coalitions of like-minded corporate and private funders who share similar goals to pool resources and accomplish common priorities
Partner with school districts to upgrade educator professional development, in, for example, mathematics and science
Define the skills and knowledge graduates need to get and keep well-paying, family-supporting jobs
Advise on subject-matter issues, such as academic standards, curriculum and assessments, especially in mathematics and science

Indicators of Success
Since its inception in 1998, BioTeach has provided equipment for over 70 schools and trained more than 200 teachers. With Genzyme providing significant fiscal support and expertise, especially since becoming the program’s lead sponsor in 2005, BioTeach now has the capacity to reach even more schools and educators. Genzyme has strongly supported the participation of guidance counselors in the BioTeach training, recognizing that the easier it is for teachers and counselors to have access to information about careers in the STEM fields, the easier it is for students to make informed decisions.

Additionally, as Genzyme moves forward in implementing its strategic investments in education, the company is engaging the recipients of grants and volunteerism to determine what worked, what didn’t work and ways in which Genzyme can improve upon its philanthropic initiatives.

Next Steps
Looking forward, Genzyme will continue to cultivate and maintain partnerships throughout Massachusetts and its local communities around the globe, and will find new ways to reach out to the public to engage them on the importance and relevance of biotechnology. Both BioTeach and the Genzyme Biotechnology Education Initiative are multi-year and multi-faceted programs that will increase Genzyme’s commitment to meeting the needs of the greater community, while simultaneously meeting the future employment needs of the STEM community.

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Updated: March 2007