SUU and NCWIT partner to promote STEM for young women
By Nikki Koontz
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, more than 57 percent of college undergraduates are women, yet only 18 percent progress into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields as a career. Southern Utah University is showing initiative on this front and is working to meet this national need for females employed in computing and technology workplaces.
SUU has partnered with the National Center for Women in Information Technology to reverse the trend in rural areas by sponsoring a competition for girls who are active and interested in computing and technology. Applications for the 2019 Aspirations in Computing awards are open now, and the southern Utah chapter has received more than 100 applications, ranking them first among the 79 chapters in the nation in applications received.
The National Center for Women in Information Technology Aspirations provides girls and women with ongoing engagement, visibility, and encouragement for their computing-related interests and achievements from high school through college and into the workforce. These opportunities allow women of the community to strengthen their leadership, technical, and entrepreneurial skills, further preparing and motivating them to participate in the computing workforce. So far, NCWIT Aspirations has awarded more than 10,000 young women.
Dr. Shalini Kesar, associate professor of information systems, has been leading the southern Utah chapter since 2014, spearheading its development across 18 counties.
“It’s wonderful to see our chapter is igniting an interest among the girls about the opportunities they have in computing and STEM,” said Kesar. “SUU is beginning to create a pipeline for women in computing and STEM within the southern Utah region.”
The southern Utah chapter now targets 18 counties, including Beaver, Garfield, Iron, Kane, Millard, Piute, San Juan, Sevier, Washington, Wayne, Grand, Emery, Sanpete, Juab Counties in Utah and Lincoln, White Pine, Elko, and Eureka Counties in Nevada.
