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ith only twenty percent of information technology (IT) professionals being women, programs such as “Girls Get IT” offer young women the opportunity to explore the worlds of science, technology, engineering and math. Initiatives through ECPI University in Newport News and Richmond set the stage to introduce the variety and rewarding career choices in the information technology feld.

At the Newport News Campus, ECPI University began the Girls Get IT program through a partnership with Cisco Systems. “Technology is constantly changing. Cisco

supports schools who are building the pipeline,” says Gena Pirtle, Marketing Program Manager for Cisco Networking Academy. “We want to see more women in the feld.”

The program introduces teenage girls from area high schools to women doing amazing things in the IT feld. There is also an opportunity to work as teams to solve real-world situations with the assistance from a female industry mentor. “Women are more solution oriented,” said Tony Ruf, who launched the program for ECPI University Newport News. “They see how technology can solve real world problems.”

Richmond launched its program at an event on March 25. On April 1, Newport News welcomed Felishia Ward a Geographic Information System (GIS) Analyst with the City of Durham, North Carolina. She introduced girls from Achievable Dream High School, Phoebus High School, and Surry County Offce on Youth to her role as an employee in the solid waste department. She helps to plan logical routes for the refuge collectors.

Girls Get IT-Broadening the Field of Information Technology

POWERFUL PARTNERSHIPS

A Stand-Out Student Advocate Helping MCI Students to Get Ahead in their Field

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tudents attending MCI, ECPI University’s School of Health Science, know they can rely on advocates in Career Services. However, Jemma Boler, a recruiter with Duke University Hospital and Duke Medicine, who for over fve years has been a consistent resource for recruiting students, attending career fairs, critiquing resumes, and participating in advisory boards. Jemma has encouraged MCI students with an interest in employment with Duke Medicine to become a Certifed Medical Assistant (CMA) and Registered Medical Assistant (RMA). The CMA is considered the gold standard of medical assisting professionalism. The credential represents a medical assistant who has been certifed by the Certifying Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants. The RMA is a certifcation through American Medical Technologists; either the CMA and/or the RMA is required for employment with Duke.

“Jemma has worked with MCI students to provide counsel from how to make themselves look most attractive and stand out when applying, through coaching them on how to perform during the interview process,” says Alan Levinson, who works for MCI career services in Raleigh.

Duke University and Health System is a world-class academic and health care system. Duke Medicine strives to transform medicine and health locally and globally through innovative scientifc research, rapid translation of breakthrough

discoveries, educating future clinical and scientifc leaders, advocating and practicing evidence-based medicine to improve community health, and leading efforts to eliminate health inequalities.

“Hiring managers have been happy with MCI graduates,” said Jemma. “It benefts Duke because MCI students with clinical placements at Duke Medicine allow managers the opportunity to assess their skills as potential hires, and managers have made offers upon graduation.”

The Duke University Health System combines the University School of Medicine, the Duke University School of Nursing, the Duke Clinic, and the member hospitals into a system of research, clinical care, and education with several location and physicians.

“For a hire it is how students sell themselves during clinicals and on their resume,” explained Jemma. “It also helps managers to know the past history of great MCI students currently working at Duke.”

Felishia Ward shares the excitement of her role in the IT feld.