Mary Kay Hosts ‘Largest-Ever’ Women in STEM Day

Mary Kay welcomed nearly 100 sophomore girls and faculty from Lewisville Independent School District along with Mayor of Lewisville, TJ Gilmore, and representatives from local and national elected officials’ offices to the Richard R. Rogers Manufacturing and Research & Development Center, for Mary Kay’s largest-ever Women in STEMK Day.

The immersive experience was designed to spark curiosity, build confidence, and expand young women’s perceptions of what a STEM career can look like at Mary Kay. Over 60 corporate employees volunteered their time serving as expert panelists, tour guides and lab scientists to ensure a memorable experience for the students.

“Unlocking the potential of the next generation of women in science and innovation isn’t just important – it is transformative,” said Dr. Lucy Gildea, chief brand and scientific officer at Mary Kay. “When we equip young women with the confidence, tools, and knowledge to pursue STEM, we’re not just opening doors – we are redefining the future. These brilliant minds will lead breakthroughs, reshape industries, and bring fresh vision to both beauty and science. Watching that moment when curiosity turns into ambition, when possibility becomes purpose, that’s where real change begins. And that’s how we build a future where women don’t just participate in STEM – they lead it.”

Cornerstone Rotation

Throughout the day, groups of students rotated through three cornerstone experiences each designed to give them a firsthand look at STEM career possibilities:

Behind‑the‑Scenes Facility Tour of R3

Tour guides led the groups through each of the facilities’ areas to give students a taste of all the various STEM jobs that range from upstream research and product formulation to manufacturing and supply chain and everything in between.

‘Create Your Own Lip Gloss’ Lab Experiment

During the lab session, students worked alongside Mary Kay scientists to experience what hands‑on experimentation looks like in a real R&D environment. Each left with a unique shade of Mary Kay Unlimited Lip Gloss inspired by their very own in-lab creation.

Women in STEMK Mentor Panels

Three panels of resident expert females in STEM shared personal stories of career pivots, overcoming imposter syndrome, finding their place in a male-dominated field and reassurance that a career path is anything but linear.

This rotating format allowed every student to engage directly with our female STEM leaders, see, and learn about our world-class innovation center, and hear about the many career paths that exist within STEM at Mary Kay and beyond.

Student Survey Results

Students were invited to complete a pre- and post‑event survey to share how the experience influenced their perceptions of women in STEM careers and Mary Kay as a women’s empowerment brand:

• 94% of students reported a positive impact from seeing women in STEM roles;
• 70% of students said seeing women in diverse STEM roles “greatly impacted their view of their own career possibilities;’ and
• 91% now recognize STEM careers in cosmetics reach beyond sales/marketing.

After visiting, students shifted focus away from earnings and toward purpose, balance and creativity.

“High earning potential” decreased in importance while “work-life balance,” “helping others,” and “creativity” increased.

When asked, “What surprised you most about the facility or the careers you learned about?” students responded:

“I have never seen so many women holding such high positions in a company (sad, I know) in real life. I loved seeing smart, beautiful, strong women so much.”