Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner Initiative
Inventing Access. Expanding Opportunity. Redefining STEM.
Expanding Access to STEM Futures
Inspired by the legacy of pioneering inventor Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner, this initiative creates pathways for students with disabilities to thrive in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through mentorship, scholarships, internships, and invention education.
The Martin M.S. Alliance Foundation.
The Legacy Behind the Initiative
Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner was a pioneering inventor whose work focused on improving everyday life through practical, thoughtful design.
Holding multiple patents, her innovations ranged from household tools to accessibility-focused solutions—including a walker attachment designed to support her sister living with multiple sclerosis.
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Her work reminds us that innovation is often rooted in lived experience—and that accessibility is a powerful driver of design.
About the Initiative
The Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner Initiative is a STEM inclusion program designed to support students with disabilities through:
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- Scholarships
- Mentorship
- Internships
- Leadership development
- Patent and invention education
This initiative affirms a simple truth: disabled students are not just participants in innovation—they are essential to it.
What This Initiative Will Do?
Scholarships & Funding
Provide financial support that helps reduce barriers to STEM education, allowing students with disabilities to pursue academic and innovation opportunities with greater access, stability, and confidence.
Mentorship & Leadership
Provide financial support that helps reduce barriers to STEM education, allowing students with disabilities to pursue academic and innovation opportunities with greater access, stability, and confidence.
Internships & Career Access
Create meaningful pathways into STEM careers by connecting students to internships, workplace experiences, and professional environments where they can gain hands-on skills and real-world exposure.
Patent & Invention Education
Introduce students to the fundamentals of innovation, including how to develop ideas, navigate the patent and trademark process, and turn creative solutions into protected, real-world impact.
Accessible STEM Programming
Promote inclusive learning environments by supporting accessible tools, adaptive resources, and programming designed to ensure students with disabilities can fully participate and succeed in STEM education.
Community Innovation Events
Host events, workshops, and community experiences that highlight disability-driven innovation, celebrate diverse perspectives, and create space for collaboration, visibility, and shared learning.
A Call to Partnership
Open Letter!
We invite community leaders, corporations, educators, and advocates to help us build a future where students with disabilities are fully included in STEM.
Too often, barriers—not ability—limit opportunity. The Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner Initiative is designed to remove those barriers and invest in the next generation of innovators, creators, and leaders.
We are actively building partnerships with organizations committed to equity, innovation, and access. Together, we can expand pathways into STEM through scholarships, mentorship, internships, and accessible programming that turns potential into impact.
The Martin M.S. Alliance Foundation.
Ways to Partner:
Your partnership can take many forms—each one helping create meaningful pathways into STEM for the next generation of innovator
- Sponsor a student
- Fund internships or fellowships
- Provide mentorship or guest speakers
- Support accessibility tools and services
- Host workshops, labs, or events
- Invest in long-term program growth