Syracuse University is expanding a program that encourages high school girls to pursue careers in information technology.

It Girls, a pre-college summer program about information technology studies and careers, will extend its 27-hour program in June to span two weeks. SU’s Summer College will help coordinate the program alongside the School of Information Studies.

The new format will afford the program significantly more resources, said Stephanie Worden, assistant director of undergraduate recruitment at the iSchool. The two week experience will reach more students, she said.

“It was clear that as the information industry expands and becomes more prominent in peoples’ lives, we needed to show future students an expanded experience reflective of current academic and career possibilities,” Worden said in a statement.

It Girls was introduced in 2011 as a weekend experience, Worden said. The program offers introductory courses in several STEM-related fields, including data analysis, networking and programming.

The program is part of a larger effort to encourage more girls to enter STEM-based careers, Worden said. Since 2018, at least 65 participants in the program have graduated from SU, she said.

Starting this year, the Summer College will manage transportation, housing and applications for It Girls, allowing the iSchool to focus more on programming, said Chris Cofer, executive director of Summer@Syracuse.

Extending the program will allow participants to explore its core topics in greater depth, Cofer said.

The new partnership will also increase scholarships for applicants and promote diversity in the Summer College, Cofer said.

Although academics are the focus of the Summer College programs, the bonds and connections participants make during their experience is also important, Cofer said.

Worden said It Girls from previous years still stay in contact with her. One girl who entered the program as a teenage mother later graduated from SU and now returns to the program every year to share her experiences, Worden said.

The program is “a huge sisterhood building experience,” Worden said.

Published on January 29, 2020 at 9:00 pm

Contact Joshua: jjones52@syr.edu