Linda's Story
She was told she couldn't... but she could, and she did.
LINDA NEENAN
iSPACE Founder
Retired Executive Director
Linda Neenan is the co-founder and retired Executive Director of iSPACE. Similar to many successful software startups, iSPACE, which began its mission from Linda's den in 2001, has now grown to serve more than 30,000 people a year.
As a young girl, Linda had been inspired by President Kennedy’s challenge to the nation during the Space Race. But she was discouraged from pursuing her own dream.
While attending high school in Michigan, Neenan presented her guidance counselor with a scholarship application for General Motors Institute (now Kettering University) which is an engineering school. “You’re a girl,” the female counselor said, slamming the application down on her desk. With that quick rejection, Neenan Linda became a math teacher, because that was something she was “allowed” to do.
Linda got married, and she and her husband had three daughters. They moved to Switzerland, back to the U.S., to England, then back to the U.S. again. Linda was a stay-at- home mom until her children were grown.
However, her high school counselor’s words stung even as the 21st century arrived. Neenan didn’t want to see other learners, especially girls, dissuaded from STEM careers. Her nagging fear about how U.S. children were falling behind their international counterparts in science and math, caused her and teachers Cathy Metzger and Charlene Kobida to meet with scientists, engineers and teachers to determine what educational programs could be introduced to Greater Cincinnati to encourage students in STEM.
Thus, iSPACE was born.
One of the iSPACE core values is “open access to all.” Neenan pledged to eliminate obstacles posed by gender, race or disability. iSPACE is now recognized for the accommodations it provides, not only to gifted students, but also to underserved students, regardless of socio-economic status, academic abilities, physical, emotional or behavioral limitations. It also provides strong support for young women to encourage them in STEM.
iSPACEs offer exceptional programs for students but it’s iTEACH program is one of the most effective educator professional programs in the region. Neenan recognized that, while working with students is at the core of the iSPACE mission, providing top-notch training to teachers helps iSPACE expand their reach exponentially.
All these values were spurred on by Linda’s experience early on when she was told she “couldn’t.”…because she could and she did.
