Initiatives

• Computer Mania Day™ for Girls

  Computer Mania Day is a Saturday program for girls ages 10 to 14, with a special outreach to disadvantaged girls, focusing on developing their interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), not just as users, but as developers, designers, entrepreneurs and leaders in these disciplines. How is Computer Mania Day different? The event associates STEM with being cool, having fun and making a difference in the world. It involves hands-on experiences with female role models in a wide variety of real-world sciences and technologies and makes a connection to innovation, entrepreneurship, leadership and critical thinking.
  See Proof of How Computer Mania Day Positively Impacts Girls
  Visit the Computer Mania Day Website.
  Download the Computer Mania Day Flyer.

   

• Women's Innovation Through Technology Entrepreneurship (INNOTECH)™

  The INNOTECH Project is designed to build the competence and confidence of women leaders who are aspiring or current technology entrepreneurs, thus enabling them to start or grow successful businesses and sustain them over time. This program is unique because it moves beyond traditional classroom and online information sharing between academics and entrepreneurs to real knowledge transfer from successful women technology entrepreneurs who have “cashed out” to those who wish to become innovation entrepreneurs integrating technology as a primary component for success. This customized program provides targeted training and long-term one-to-one mentoring for selected women to increase the success rate of technology-infused business start-up, growth and sustainability.
  Download the INNOTECH Flyer.

   

• Women: Leading the Future of Technology™

  Ensuring that Maryland's entire community engages its best and brightest minds, including women's, to build, attract and grow business development is a central focus for MDWIT's annual conference: Women Leading the Future of Technology.The conference targets three groups:Women in Entrepreneurship, Women in the Technology Workforce, and the Next Generation of Women in Technology. See Highlights from Last Year's Event.

   

• Maryland Taskforce on the Status of Women and IT

  The Taskforce on the Status of Women and Information Technology was established to study the issues relating to the declining involvement of girls and women in information technology. The Center both drafted the legislation and the director serves as an ex officio member of the group. The Taskforce will study the impact the decline has on the overall technology literacy of Maryland's workforce and on the future of the information technology workforce. The taskforce will investigate strategies to address the challenges to better meet the state's workforce demands in all career areas where technology is used. The taskforce will develop a statewide comprehensive women and information technology plan and strategies for plan implementation and public promotion of the plan, as well as facilitate coordination and communication among state and local agencies and organizations regarding achieving the goals of the plan.The taskforce will present an annual report on its findings and recommendations to the governor.

   

• External Initiatives Supported by MDWIT

  The National Girls Collaborative Project
  The National Center for Women and IT (NCWIT)
  The National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE)
  The Appalachian Information Technology Extension Services (AITES)

   

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