MORE ACTIVE GIRLS IN COMPUTING
MORE ACTIVE GIRLS IN COMPUTING
The number of girls entering the computing and high tech arena is continuing to drop, with women comprising only about 26% of the technology workforce today.
It is also universally accepted that this serious shortage of women in technology is not due to a lack of talent, but due to many discouraging factors that exist in our society today.
What is needed is a mentoring program throughout the country, available to everyone. MAGIC aims to be such a program.
The number of girls entering the computing and high tech arena is continuing to drop, with women comprising only about 26% of the technology workforce today. Furthermore, the number of girls dropping out in college from computing or technology is significant.
This is a serious issue, and recognized as such by many. It is also universally accepted that this shortage of women in technology is not due to a lack of talent, but due to a plethora of discouraging factors that exist in our society today.
While there are many grassroots efforts to address this problem, both as ongoing activities as well as one-time seminars and conferences, information about this strong support is not widely available. Additionally, this support is limited to certain areas in the country and/or certain segments of the population.
What is needed is a mentoring program throughout the country, available to everyone. MAGIC aims to be such a program. We believe that we need to start with middle school girls, and foster in them a positive attitude towards computing.
MAGIC provides one-on-one mentoring in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) for middle and high school girls, and is run by women with careers in technology.
Mentoring is on both technical and personal subjects, including the role of girls in our society and how that is changing, how to avoid the technology stereotype, etc.
The mentee explores her interests in STEM under the guidance of her mentor, works on one or more STEM projects, and presents her work at the end of the session.
MAGIC provides one-on-one mentoring in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) for middle and high school girls. It is run by women with careers in technology, and mentoring is carried out on both technical and personal subjects, including work/life balance, the role of girls in our society and how that is changing, how to avoid the technology stereotype, etc.
Each girl accepted into the program (a MAGIC mentee) is paired with a woman in STEM (a MAGIC mentor), and they meet weekly for an hour for three to nine months, depending on the session in question.
We have sessions starting in fall for up to nine months, starting in spring for up to five months, and sometimes, a limited session in summer. The mentee explores her interests in STEM under the guidance of her mentor, and works on one or more STEM projects. She presents her work at the end of the session to an audience consisting of other mentees, mentors, parents and family members, and MAGIC staff.