In October, Mary Kay welcomed nearly 30 Brownies and Cadettes from the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas—girls ages 7 to 12—along with 18 enthusiastic moms for an immersive STEM Day designed to help the Scouts earn their STEM Career Exploration Badge. From the moment they stepped into Mary Kay’s LEED Silver–certified Richard R. Rogers Manufacturing and R&D Center in Lewisville, Texas, the excitement was obvious. The girls were eager to discover what it’s like to work inside a global beauty and skincare company.
The day kicked off in the Innovation Center, where Carrissa Dowdy, Manager of Product Formulation, shared her own path into STEM and explained the role of a product formulator. Her ability to break down complex scientific ideas into fun, relatable concepts captivated both the girls and their mothers. Her energy set the tone for a full day of hands-on learning.
The group then headed to the Product Formulation Lab, where Rhonda Solberg, Associate Principal Scientist of Product Formulation, introduced eighteen smiling lab scientists who helped the girls create their own custom Mary Kay Unlimited® Lip Gloss in one of six available shades. Outfitted in pink lab coats, gloves, and safety glasses, the girls paired up and began experimenting. With guidance from the scientists, they blended their own unique combinations of pinks, nudes, and berry tones—always adding the essential touch of glitter. The room buzzed with excitement as their cloudy mixtures transformed into shimmering, personalized gloss shades.
After completing their creations, the visitors split into three small groups for a tour of the facility, led by Chris Smith, Senior Specialist, Training Operations Center of Excellence, and his team of trained tour leaders. Both moms and daughters were intrigued by the expansive lab areas and the behind-the-scenes insight into how Mary Kay products come to life. Many mothers expressed a new appreciation for the level of detail required in research, formulation, scaling, and production.
The experience even inspired some to reflect on their own career journeys. By the end of the tour, several Girl Scouts were asking about college degrees for STEM careers—and a few were especially curious about how old you have to be to drive a forklift and whether it requires a special license.
The event wrapped up with a session led by Amy Ruiz, Manager of Manufacturing Center of Excellence, who spoke about her background as a Chemical Engineer. She described how the field opens doors to careers in areas such as process and environmental engineering, pharmaceuticals, product development, food and beverage, and cosmetics manufacturing. The girls asked insightful questions about sustainability, packaging, and what day-to-day life looks like for an engineer.
By the end of the event, the Girl Scouts proudly earned their STEM Career Exploration Badges after a full day of inspiration and hands-on discovery. The Mary Kay team’s Go-Give spirit was evident throughout the experience—empowering future STEM leaders, fueling their curiosity, and encouraging them to continue exploring science, technology, engineering, and math.
Did You Know?
Mary Kay Inc. has awarded more than 40 grants to young women around the world pursuing STEM-related careers. At the R3 manufacturing facility in Lewisville, Texas, Mary Kay can produce up to 1.1 million products per day. Women make up 62% of the company’s Global Research & Development team. Mary Kay holds more than 1,400 global patents across product formulas, technologies, packaging, applicators, and delivery systems—highlighting decades of innovation and scientific advancement. The day kicked off in the Innovation Center, where Carrissa Dowdy, Manager of Product Formulation, shared her own path into STEM and explained the role of a product formulator. Her ability to break down complex scientific ideas into fun, relatable concepts captivated both the girls and their mothers. Her energy set the tone for a full day of hands-on learning.
The group then headed to the Product Formulation Lab, where Rhonda Solberg, Associate Principal Scientist of Product Formulation, introduced eighteen smiling lab scientists who helped the girls create their own custom Mary Kay Unlimited® Lip Gloss in one of six available shades. Outfitted in pink lab coats, gloves, and safety glasses, the girls paired up and began experimenting. With guidance from the scientists, they blended their own unique combinations of pinks, nudes, and berry tones—always adding the essential touch of glitter. The room buzzed with excitement as their cloudy mixtures transformed into shimmering, personalized gloss shades.
After completing their creations, the visitors split into three small groups for a tour of the facility, led by Chris Smith, Senior Specialist, Training Operations Center of Excellence, and his team of trained tour leaders. Both moms and daughters were intrigued by the expansive lab areas and the behind-the-scenes insight into how Mary Kay products come to life. Many mothers expressed a new appreciation for the level of detail required in research, formulation, scaling, and production.
The experience even inspired some to reflect on their own career journeys. By the end of the tour, several Girl Scouts were asking about college degrees for STEM careers—and a few were especially curious about how old you have to be to drive a forklift and whether it requires a special license.
The event wrapped up with a session led by Amy Ruiz, Manager of Manufacturing Center of Excellence, who spoke about her background as a Chemical Engineer. She described how the field opens doors to careers in areas such as process and environmental engineering, pharmaceuticals, product development, food and beverage, and cosmetics manufacturing. The girls asked insightful questions about sustainability, packaging, and what day-to-day life looks like for an engineer.
By the end of the event, the Girl Scouts proudly earned their STEM Career Exploration Badges after a full day of inspiration and hands-on discovery. The Mary Kay team’s Go-Give spirit was evident throughout the experience—empowering future STEM leaders, fueling their curiosity, and encouraging them to continue exploring science, technology, engineering, and math.
Did You Know?