STEM Visionary: Ashley Delpeche Empowers Future Leaders Through Vanguard STEM Academy

ATLANTIC CITY — In a world increasingly shaped by technology, data, and innovation, one woman is ensuring that under-resourced students aren’t left behind. Ashley Delpeche, Founder and CEO of Vanguard STEM Academy, is leading a transformative educational movement that blends STEM, business intelligence, and career readiness to empower the next generation of leaders.

With a background in biomedical and financial engineering and a résumé that includes roles at Meta and other Fortune 500 companies, Delpeche is no stranger to navigating high-stakes environments. But it’s her work with Vanguard STEM Academy that she describes as her life’s purpose.

“Education should be rigorous, relevant, and responsive,” said Delpeche, who also serves as Vice Chair of the Northeast Region (Zone 1) for the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). “We’re not just teaching students how to code or analyze data — we’re teaching them how to lead.”

Founded as a results-driven nonprofit, Vanguard has served more than 500 students, boasting a 100% academic growth rate. Some students have improved by as much as two grade levels in a single semester. Vanguard’s project-based curriculum integrates real-world business tools, digital product innovation, entrepreneurship, and health science pathways.

Through a formal partnership with Stevens Institute of Technology, Vanguard students gain access to the ECOES Summer Program, a pre-college residential experience that immerses them in engineering disciplines. Delpeche has also been tapped as keynote speaker for Stevens’ 2025 Youth STEM Conference and invited to high-level international summits including the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast and Uganda’s Royal Educational Forum.

Despite its growing impact and national recognition, Vanguard STEM Academy now faces a critical funding challenge. Vanguard must raise $25,000 in less than 30 days to unlock a high-impact matching grant that would fund Vanguard students for the Stevens program, ensuring Vanguard’s most vulnerable learners don’t lose access to those transformative resources. The deadline is August 20, 2025.

"This is more than just a financial goal — it's a moment to prove what's possible when a community rallies behind education," said Delpeche. "Every dollar we raise isn't just matched — it's multiplied in impact. We're not asking for charity: we're inviting partners to stand with us in building something that changes lives."

“This is more than just a financial goal — it’s a moment to prove what’s possible when a community rallies behind education,” said Delpeche. “Every dollar we raise isn’t just matched — it’s multiplied in impact. We’re not asking for charity; we’re inviting partners to stand with us in building something that changes lives.”

Vanguard's outcomes speak for themselves.Once a struggling 8th grader, Lourdes is now a straight-A student who graduated high school a year early and is pursuing a degree in engineering. Another student, Shahnushca, turned academic failure into success and now ranks as an honors scholar in nursing.

“We prepare our students for Ivy League interviews, for investment banking internships, for leadership,” said Delpeche. “They leave here knowing they belong in every room they enter.”

Vanguard’s mission has caught the attention of the City of Atlantic City, which is exploring STEM education and workforce readiness collaborations with the academy.

For Delpeche, the work is about more than numbers. “We close equity gaps, we build resilience, and we inspire leadership,” she said. “That’s the real data — that’s our impact.”

As Vanguard STEM Academy looks to scale, Delpeche invites collaborators, funders, and mentors to join her. “When you invest in education,” she said, “you change lives.”

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