National Center for Women & Information Technology

{{Short description|Information Technology For Women}} {{advert|date=April 2019}} {{Infobox organization | name = National Center for Women & Information Technology | abbreviation = NCWIT | image = NCWITSquareLogo.png | caption = Logo of the National Center for Women & Information Technology | founded = {{start date and age|2004|08|12}}<ref name= corp>"[https://www.sos.state.co.us/biz/BusinessEntityDetail.do?quitButtonDestination=BusinessEntityResults&nameTyp=ENT&masterFileId=20041281608&entityId2=20041281608&fileId=20041281608&srchTyp=ENTITY National Center for Women and Information Technology]". ''Colorado Office of the Secretary of State''. Retrieved August 23, 2019.</ref> | founders = {{Plainlist| * Lucinda (Lucy) Sanders * Telle Whitney * Dr. Robert (Bobby) Schnabel }} | leader_name = Lucy Sanders<ref name= staff>"[https://www.ncwit.org/about/who/staff-consultants Staff and Consultants]". ''National Center for Women & Information Technology''. Retrieved August 23, 2019.</ref> | leader_title = Chief executive officer | leader_name2 = Nancy Phillips<ref name= board>"[https://www.ncwit.org/about/who/board-of-directors Board of Directors]". ''National Center for Women & Information Technology''. Retrieved August 23, 2019.</ref> | leader_title2 = Chair | leader_name3 = Thaddeus Arroyo<ref name= board/> | leader_title3 = Vice chair | leader_name4 = Terry Hogan<ref name= staff/> | leader_title4 = President, chief technology officer | headquarters = Boulder, Colorado, U.S. | region_served = U.S. | focus = Women in Computing | method = Alliances, Research, and Programs | website = [https://ncwit.org ncwit.org] | status = 501(c)(3)<ref name= 501c3>"[https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/displayAll.do?dispatchMethod=displayAllInfo&Id=793237&ein=680591481&country=US&deductibility=all&dispatchMethod=searchAll&isDescending=false&city=&ein1=&postDateFrom=&exemptTypeCode=al&submitName=&sortColumn=orgName&totalResults=1&names=National+Center+for+Women+and+Information+Technology&resultsPerPage=25&indexOfFirstRow=0&postDateTo=&state=All+States National Center For Women And Information Technology]". ''Tax Exempt Organization Search''. Internal Revenue Service. Retrieved August 23, 2019.</ref> | type = nonprofit organization | tax_id = 68-0591481<ref name= 501c3/> | num_employees = 0<ref name= 990-2017>"[https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/680591481_201806_990_2019050216260555.pdf Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax]". ''National Center for Women & Information Technology''. Internal Revenue Service. June 30, 2018.</ref> | num_employees_year = 2017 | num_volunteers = 1,170<ref name= 990-2017/> | num_volunteers_year = 2017 | revenue = $6,448,227<ref name= 990-2017/> | revenue_year = 2018 | expenses = $6,449,985<ref name= 990-2017/> | expenses_year = 2018 | purpose = To ensure that women are fully represented in the influential world of information technology/computing.<ref name= 990-2017/> }} The '''National Center for Women & Information Technology''' ('''NCWIT''') is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization<ref name= 501c3/> in Boulder, Colorado at the University of Colorado Boulder.<ref>{{cite web|title=National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT)|url=http://atlas.colorado.edu/wordpress/?page_id=1400|website=ATLAS Institute|publisher=University of Colorado, Boulder|access-date=29 December 2014}}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The center works to increase participation of girls and women in computing.

NCWIT was founded in 2004 by Lucinda (Lucy) Sanders,<ref>{{cite web|last=Ericson|first=Cathie|title=Intrepid Woman: Lucinda (Lucy) Sanders: CEO and Co-founder of the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) |url=http://www.theglasshammer.com/news/2014/10/17/intrepid-woman-lucy-sanders-ceo-and-co-founder-of-the-national-center-for-women-information-technology-ncwit/|work=The Glass Hammer|publisher=Evolved People Media LLC|access-date=12 November 2014|date=17 October 2014}}</ref> Dr. Telle Whitney, and Dr. Robert (Bobby) Schnabel.<ref>{{cite web|title=Champions of Change|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/champions/girls-and-women-in-stem/bobby-schnabel|via=National Archives|work=whitehouse.gov|access-date=12 November 2014}}</ref> Sanders, who was inducted into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame in 2007,<ref>{{cite web|title=Lucinda Sanders, CEO & Co-Founder, National Center for Women and Information Tech.|url=http://www.witi.com/center/witimuseum/halloffame/247713/Lucinda-Sanders-CEO-&-Co-Founder-National-Center-for-Women-and-Information-Tech./|work=WITI Hall of Fame|publisher=Women in Technology International|date=2007|access-date=13 November 2014}}</ref> is the current chief executive officer.

==Operations== NCWIT aims to increase the participation of women in computing fields.

The organization operates through partnerships with corporations, academic institutions, and nonprofits.<ref name="NCWIT Fact Sheet">{{cite web |title=Fact Sheet |url=http://www.ncwit.org/ncwit-fact-sheet |publisher=National Center for Women & Information Technology |access-date=13 November 2014}}</ref> The center also publishes resources and research to support gender diversity in computing.<ref name="ncwitresources">{{cite web|title=Resources|url=http://www.ncwit.org/resources=NCWIT|publisher=National Center for Women & Information Technology|access-date=12 November 2014}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite web|last=Feintuch|first=Howard|title=The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT)|url=http://www.insightintodiversity.com/women/the-national-center-for-women-information-technology-ncwit-by-howard-feintuch|work=Insight into Diversity|access-date=13 November 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230023603/http://www.insightintodiversity.com/women/the-national-center-for-women-information-technology-ncwit-by-howard-feintuch|archive-date=30 December 2014}}</ref>Additionally, the center hosts an annual summit, the NCWIT Summit, for industry professionals and scholars to discuss related issues.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|last=Leung|first=Lily|title=5 takeaways from Chelsea Clinton's O.C. tech conference visit|url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/clinton-615220-women-tech.html|work=Orange County Register|access-date=12 November 2014|date=21 May 2014}}</ref>

==Programs and campaigns==

NCWIT coordinates a variety of programs and campaigns which have several goals. Among them are: supporting changes in K-12 computing curriculum, empowering women in computing to increase their visibility, working with high school women to encourage them to pursue computing careers, and celebrating the successes of female tech entrepreneurs.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Frauenheim|first1=Ed|title=Opening doors for women in computing|url=http://news.cnet.com/Opening-doors-for-women-in-computing/2100-1022_3-5557311.html|access-date=30 December 2014|work=cNet|date=7 February 2005}}</ref>

===Aspirations in computing===

NCWIT Aspirations in Computing is a program for young women and non-binary students with aspirations and achievements in computing and information technology. The program consists of an award for high school students, undergraduate and graduate students, and provides a community for college women. It provides women with engagement and encouragement for their computing-related interests from the age range of high school through college and into the workforce.<ref>{{cite web|last=Farmer|first=Ruthe|title=10 Reasons Why America Needs 10,000 More Girls in Computer Science|url=http://shriverreport.org/10-reasons-why-america-needs-10000-more-girls-in-computer-science/|publisher=The Shriver Report|access-date=12 November 2014|date=30 June 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=McDonald|first=Ryan|title=NCWIT program helps high school girls aspire to computer fields|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/blog/cyberbizblog/2013/10/ncwit-program-helps-high-school-girls.html|publisher=Baltimore Business Journal|date=25 October 2013|access-date=13 November 2014}}</ref> Sponsors include AT&T, Bank of America, Bloomberg, Google, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Microsoft, Motorola Solutions Foundation, Northrop Grumman, and Symantec.<ref name="Aspirations">{{cite web|title=Aspirations|url=http://www.ncwit.org/programs-campaigns/aspirations-computing|publisher=National Center for Women & Information Technology|access-date=13 November 2014}}</ref>

===Pacesetters===

The Pacesetters program involves a cohort of NCWIT member organizations who commit to an accelerated increase of technical women at their institutions and workplaces. Corporate, entrepreneurial and academic leaders all work across organizational boundaries to improve the participation of women in tech. Setting two year goals is a part of the program as well as releasing diversity data.<ref>{{cite web|last=Chernos|first=Alex|title=SpotX and Women in Tech: NCWIT Announces Expansion of Pacesetters Program|url=http://www.spotxchange.com/blog/2014/08/01/spotx-and-women-in-tech-ncwit-announces-expansion-of-pacesetters-program/|access-date=12 November 2014|date=1 August 2014}}</ref>

===AspireIT===

AspireIT is an initiative which enlists high school and college women to design and lead computing programs for middle school girls. Through this program, the leaders develop mentorship skills while simultaneously introducing younger girls to computing.<ref>{{cite web|title=NCWIT AspireIT - Early Computing Experiences for Girls, 2014|url=http://www.cgiamerica.org/commitments/?id=883103|website=CGI America|publisher=Clinton Global Initiative America|access-date=23 February 2015}}</ref>

===Extension Services===

Extension Services consultants work with computing-related academic department representatives that are eager to increase their diversity. Advice and resources are provided to assist clients in identifying what resources they already have to accomplish their goals, and what new innovating strategies they can pursue.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Thompson|first1=Leisa D.|title=Initiatives to Support Systemic Change for Women in Undergraduate Computing|url=http://www.seas.upenn.edu/~rpowell/documents/Powellbarkerthompsonbrawnermcklinp163thompson.pdf|website=Penn Engineering|publisher=University of Pennsylvania|access-date=23 February 2015}}</ref>

===EngageCSEdu===

EngageCSEdu is an online tool that contains thousands of course materials for introductory computer science courses. Educators are able to upload and download materials and access resources and guides for best practices. All materials are peer-reviewed to ensure that they achieve the goal of making computer science higher education accessible to women and other minorities. Google developed EngageCSEdu with NCWIT.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Johnson|first1=Leslie Yeh|title=Engaging the Next Generation of Computer Scientists|url=http://googleforeducation.blogspot.com/2014/11/engaging-next-generation-of-computer.html|website=Google for Education|access-date=23 February 2015}}</ref>

===Sit With Me===

Sit With Me is a national campaign designed to encourage women in computing careers. An iconic Red Chair is used by Sit With Me to symbolize that women need more seats at the table. It is also a symbol that encourages men and women to sit in support for technical women. The campaign helps create gathering places where the contributions of women in computing can be recognized.<ref>{{cite web|title=David Notkin featured in NCWIT's "Sit With Me" campaign|url=https://news.cs.washington.edu/2013/02/10/david-notkin-featured-in-ncwits-sit-with-me-campaign/|website=University of Washington Computer Science and Engineering|publisher=University of Washington|access-date=23 February 2015}}</ref>

===Counselors for Computing (C4C)===

NCWIT Counselors for Computing (C4C) provides professional school counselors with information and resources they can use to support all students as they explore computer science education and careers.<ref>{{cite web|title=National Center for Women Information and Technology|url=https://www.guidestar.org/profile/68-0591481|website=GuideStar|access-date=17 November 2017}}</ref>

===TECHNOLOchicas===

TECHNOLOchicas is a national initiative designed to raise awareness among young Latinas and their families about opportunities and careers in technology. Stories are shared by Latinas with different backgrounds and upbringings who are in the tech field, allowing young girls to read these stories and relate to them as role models. These stories are shared through several communication channels, including broadcast television, local events, social media, and online videos.<ref>{{cite web|title=National Center for Women Information and Technology|url=https://www.guidestar.org/profile/68-0591481|website=GuideStar|access-date=27 November 2017}}</ref> One remarkable Technolochica is Ana Maria Hermida Otero.

===AspireIT K–12 Outreach Program===

NCWIT's AspireIT K–12 Outreach Program consists of national girl-serving organizations, professional educator associations, academic institutions, and businesses all dedicated to giving access to a computer science education for girls in grades K-12. The alliance members work to advance more girls into computing nationwide. K–12 girls who are interested in computing are paired with high school and college women as mentors in order to increase young girls' confidence in computing abilities and leadership skills.<ref>{{cite web|title=National Center for Women Information & Technology|url=https://www.guidestar.org/profile/68-0591481|website=Guidestar|access-date=4 December 2017}}</ref>

==Awards==

===Pioneer in Tech Award===

Created in 2012, the NCWIT Pioneer in Tech Award recognizes those individuals who, over the course of their lives and careers, have contributed to changing the way society sees women in technology and computing.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Guzdial|first1=Mark|title=NCWIT Pioneer Awards to two women of Project Mercury: Following their passions|url=https://computinged.wordpress.com/2012/05/23/ncwit-pioneer-awards-to-two-women-of-project-mercury-following-their-passions/|website=Computing Education Blog|date=23 May 2012|access-date=23 February 2015}}</ref>

Winners:

* Dr. Erna Schneider Hoover (2023)<ref>{{Cite web |last=tim.faiella |date=2023-05-01 |title=2023 Pioneer in Tech Award Recipient Dr. Erna Schneider Hoover {{!}} National Center for Women & Information Technology |url=https://ncwit.org/article/2023-pioneer-in-tech-award-recipient-erna-schneider-hoover/ |access-date=2023-06-15 |website=ncwit.org |language=en-US}}</ref>

*Dr. Christine Darden (2015) *Katherine Johnson (2015) *Eleanor Kolchin (2014) *Jean Sammet (2013) *Patricia Palombo (2012) *Lucy Simon Rakov (2012)

===Academic Alliance Seed Fund===

Sponsored by Microsoft Research, the Academic Alliance Seed Fund awards startup funding to NCWIT Academic Alliance members for projects and programs designed to recruit and retain women in computing.<ref>{{cite web|title=NCWIT and Microsoft Research Kick Start Academic Programs for Attracting Women to Computing Fields|url=http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/news/features/ncwit-seed-fund_20150217.aspx|website=Microsoft Research|date=17 February 2015|publisher=Microsoft Research|access-date=23 February 2015}}</ref>

===Student Seed Fund===

Sponsored by Symantec, the Student Seed Fund awards funding to student-run programs that attract and support women in information technology.<ref>{{cite web|title=WICS is Awarded the NCWIT Student Seed Fund!|url=http://wics.ics.uci.edu/wics-is-awarded-the-ncwit-student-seed-fund/|website=Women in Information and Computer Science|date=10 December 2012|publisher=University of California Irvine|access-date=23 February 2015}}</ref>

===Surging Enrollments Seed Fund===

The Surging Enrollments Seed Fund is a special call of the NCWIT Academic Alliance Seed Fund. They are various projects that aim to apply practices for recruiting and retaining women in higher education computing, and to track the results of the retention of these women. The primary focus is to also recruit diverse students, so applications from a variety of institutions are accepted.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Blair|first1=Bettina|title=NCWIT Award Deadlines Extended to 11/6/2017|url=https://ocwic.hosting.acm.org/o-community-wic/ncwit-award-deadlines-extended-to-1162017/|access-date=29 January 2018}}</ref>

===Symons Innovator Award===

Created in 2009 and presented annually, the Symons Innovator Award recognizes a successful female computing entrepreneur. The award is named in honor of Jeanette Symons, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur who died in a plane crash in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Allday|first1=Erin|title=Bay Area exec and son perish in plane crash|url=http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Bay-Area-exec-and-son-perish-in-plane-crash-3229910.php|website=SFGate.com|date=3 February 2008|publisher=San Francisco Gate|access-date=23 February 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=WiTricity CTO Receives NCWIT Symons Innovator Award|url=http://witricity.com/news/witricity-cto-receives-ncwit-symons-innovator-award/|website=WiTricity|date=26 March 2014|publisher=WiTricity|access-date=23 February 2015}}</ref>

====Winners====

*Anousheh Ansari (2009) *Kim Polese (2010) *Audrey MacLean (2011) *Jessica Jackley (2012) *Caterina Fake (2013) *Katie Hall (2014) *Shellye Archambeau (2015) *Kate Matsudaira (2016)

===Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award===

Sponsored by AT&T, the NCWIT Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award honors faculty mentors at NCWIT Academic Alliance institutions who work to mentor, support, and promote women in computing-related fields.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Blaschke|first1=Jayme|title=Computer Science professor honored with research mentoring award|url=http://www.txstate.edu/news/news_releases/news_archive/2013/August-2013/Ngu082713.html|website=txstate.edu|publisher=Texas State|access-date=23 February 2015}}</ref>

===Harrold and Notkin Research and Graduate Mentoring Award===

The Harrold and Notkin Research and Graduate Mentoring Award honors faculty who, through research opportunities and mentorship, support women and minority graduate students in computing. The award is named in memory of Mary Jean Harrold and David Notkin.<ref>{{cite web|title=Amato elected to CRA board and co-chairs CRA-W|url=http://engineering.tamu.edu/news/2014/11/26/amato-elected-to-cra-board-and-co-chairs-cra-w|website=tamu.edu|publisher=The Dwight Look College of Engineering|access-date=23 February 2015}}</ref>

===NCWIT EngageCSEdu Engagement Excellence Award===

Funded by Google, the NCWIT EngageCSEdu Engagement Excellence Award recognizes faculty who use certain teaching practices in their introductory computer science classrooms known to better engage students, especially young women and underrepresented groups.<ref>{{cite web|title=EarSketch Receives NCWIT Engagement Excellence Award|url=EarSketch Receives NCWIT Engagement Excellence Award|access-date=4 December 2017}}</ref>

===Aspirations in Computing Educator Award===

The Aspirations in Computing Educator Award honors educators (both formal and informal) who encourage high school-aged women to pursue their interests in technology careers. Each winner receives $250 in cash and up to $750 for participation in computing-related professional development activities, recognition at a local Affiliate Award event and increased visibility in his or her school district and community, NCWIT resources and promotional items, as well as an engraved award for both the Educator and his or her school.<ref>{{cite web|title=Applications Open for NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Awards|url=https://cra.org/applications-open-ncwit-aspirations-computing-awards/|website=Computing Research Association|date=28 October 2016|access-date=6 December 2017}}</ref>

===Collegiate Award===

Sponsored by HP and Qualcomm, the NCWIT Collegiate Award honors the technical accomplishments of college women of any year of study through their technical projects that demonstrate a high level of creativity and potential societal impact. The award offers a $10,000 cash prize for up to six college women.<ref>{{cite web|title=NCWIT Award Recognizes Creativity of Technical Women|url=http://alltogether.swe.org/2016/01/ncwit-award-recognizes-creativity-technical-women/|website=All Together|access-date=6 December 2017}}</ref>

===NCWIT & ACM-W Student Seed Fund===

The NCWIT & ACM-W Student Seed Fund has invested over $300,000 in more than 150 student run programs since 2011. ACM-W aims to "support, celebrate, and advocate internationally for the full engagement of women in all aspects of the computing field, providing a wide range of programs and services to ACM members and working in the larger community to advance the contributions of technical women."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Carter|first1=Calla|title=NCWIT & ACM-W STUDENT SEED FUND GRANT|url=http://blog.sudohoot.com/2017/01/18/ncwit-acm-w-student-seed-fund-grant/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180123074257/http://blog.sudohoot.com/2017/01/18/ncwit-acm-w-student-seed-fund-grant/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=January 23, 2018|website=Sudo Hoot Blog|access-date=22 January 2018}}</ref>

===Reel WiT Award===

The Reel WiT Award is presented by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, Google, and NCWIT. This award aspires to change the small percentage of women in tech roles represented in film by recognizing the best portrayal of a leading woman in technology from a program (e.g. documentary, TV show, film, YouTube, etc.) who serves as a role model for girls and women who aspire to work in the tech field. The 2017 Reel WiT Award winner went to Allison Schroeder, who wrote the screenplay for "Hidden Figures".<ref>{{cite web|title=Vote for a Leading Woman in Technology for the First-Ever Reel WiT Award: NCWIT, Geena Davis, and Google Call for Votes|url=https://www.newswire.com/press-release/vote-for-a-leading-woman-in-technology-for-the-first-ever-reel-wit-3955574|website=NewsWire|access-date=22 January 2018}}</ref>

===NCWIT Extension Services Transformation (NEXT) Awards===

NCWIT's Extension Services Transformation Awards was created to honor the academic departments that improve recruitment and retention of women in their computing education majors. The departments that qualify for the awards are those who take part in consultations from the NCWIT Extension Services Undergraduate Programs (ES-UP) in order to increase the number of women in their computing-related departments. Two different awards are presented to two winning departments- the first and second place 'Excellence in Promoting Women in Undergraduate Computing' awards. The first place winning department is given $100,000 while the second place is awarded $50,000.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Frawley-Panyard|first1=Nicole|title=Five faculty honored for increasing women's participation in computing|url=https://name.engin.umich.edu/stories/faculty-honored-next/|access-date=29 January 2018}}</ref>

==Strategic and investment partners==

NCWIT is supported by government and corporate partners from the technology sector and other related sectors. Strategic partners include National Science Foundation, Microsoft, Bank of America, Google, and Intel. Investment partners include Avaya, Pfizer, Merck, Turner Broadcasting Systems, AT&T, Bloomberg, and Hewlett-Packard.<ref name="Our Supporters">{{cite web|title=NCWIT Supporters|url=http://www.ncwit.org/about/supporters|publisher=National Center for Women & Information Technology|access-date=12 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Chelsea Clinton to Speak at NCWIT Summit|url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/chelsea_clinton_to_speak_at_ncwit_summit/prweb11864154.htm|website=PRWeb}}</ref>

==See also== * Women in computing * Research Experiences for Undergraduates * List of organizations for women in science

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{Official website|http://www.ncwit.org/}} * [http://www.aspirations.org/ NCWIT Aspirations in Computing] * [https://www.ncwit.org/sites/default/files/resources/ncwit_rcwic_inabox_web_0.pdf Resources for Organizing a Regional Celebration]

{{DEFAULTSORT:National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT)}} Category:Women in computing Category:Information technology organizations based in North America Category:Education policy organizations in the United States Category:501(c)(3) organizations Category:Non-profit organizations based in Colorado