Grantee
Spotlight:
ITWomen*
*IT=Information Technology
On a Friday
afternoon, a room of young women at the Little Haiti Housing
Association’s Computer Clubhouse settled in for an
experience that opened their eyes to the world of medical
technology. The girls received hands-on exposure to guide
wires, coronary stents and other high-tech medical
instruments thanks to a remarkable program by ITWomen,
funded by Women’s Fund of Miami-Dade.
Cordis analyst and ITWomen member, Jayna Beal, demonstrates for
the girls
how the wire guides the stent,
through a patient’s body and gets inserted into an artery to
keep the blood flowing smoothly. She also gave the girls a
glimpse into her profession as an IM Analyst by fielding their
numerous questions.
“How long did you
have to go to school?”
“How much money do
you make?”
“Do you get to
travel?”
“Do you know how to
do that on a real person?”
Through
ITWomen’s Role Models Initiative, ITWomen members such as Beal
share their career experiences and
industry expertise through classroom activities, job shadowing
experiences, field trips and volunteer opportunities
to bridge the gender divide in the
field of technology.
“The technology gender gap is a
persistent concern for us,” explains Victoria Usherenko,
President and one of the founders of ITWomen. “Through the Role
Models Initiative, young women are introduced to a myriad of
careers that involve math, science and technology. When we ask
these young women how ITWomen is beneficial to them, they tell
us, ‘It’s great to be exposed to our future.’”
In April 2006, three of the girls
involved in the Computer Clubhouse program participated in an
ITWomen-sponsored event that featured a geospatial technology
expert. The girls learned that geospatial technology is used
whenever they use their cell phones to send pictures or text
messages and saw how the information gets transmitted via
satellite to pinpoint and locate their positions on earth. These
types of programs expose young women to cutting-edge
technologies that they may not otherwise see. That, according to
ITWomen’s Director, Sherry
Giordano,
is half the battle.
Giordano says, "The
source of the problem has been well-documented and researched.
It's about gender discrimination and lack of role models to
steer young girls into careers utilizing math and science. She
adds, "However, finding practical solutions is not as common.
That's where we come in."
According
to ITWomen’s research,
less than one percent of total
enrollment for information technology classes within the
Miami-Dade Public technology magnet schools are girls. To combat
this, ITWomen turned to a 2000 study by the American Association
of University Women (AAUW), which determined that the primary
cause preventing women and girls from entering technology
careers was stereotypes and the need for a “human focus” (such
as role models) to support curriculums.
Since
2002,
ITWomen has been at the forefront
of creating role models and inspiring young women to join the
technology sectors in South Florida.
As the Director of
ITWomen, Giordano works with public schools and community
organizations to plan partnerships, introduce young women to new
technologies like geospatial and nanotechnology, recruit
students and develop a tracking system for better retention of
students. ITWomen Role Models Initiative currently partners with
seven community organizations in Miami-Dade and Broward,
including Take Stock in Children, Pace Center for Girls, Women’s
Fund grantee partner, Girls Educated and Motivated for Success
(GEMS), and Academy of Information Technology.
Increasing the visibility of women
who have significantly contributed to technology and related
industries is just one of the ways ITWomen works to increase the
number of women entering technology-related fields. The
organization also formed a charitable foundation, which provides
scholarships for women who desire to study technology and
promotes career advancement through professional education and
training.
