On Nov. 19, the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business held the Girls in IT Event to inform and recruit women into the Information Technology field. Although students have previously attended conferences directed at technology, this event was aimed specifically at women.
Guest speakers spoke about the challenges of not having enough women in the technology field, and the Wal-Mart Corporate Office had a panel of female professionals answer questions and give personal advice on what students could do now, and in their future, to help them if they are interested in a career in the IT field.
“The IT field just really stands out to me. I think it’s important for girls to be involved in every field, because girls have a lot of opinions that guys don’t,” said Tamara Bell, who attended the event after it was recommended by her teacher Mrs. Barbara Dickard.
Students were then placed in groups and during lunch was teamed up with a person in the technology field. They were given a few scenarios to discuss and they had to come up with a solution to the topic and then present it to the entire group.
“They randomly put us in groups and we had to do a project on getting rid of computer footprints. We talked and learned about how to keep random people from finding you on the Internet and how to neglect that from happening. That was the best part,” said Bell.
The information Bell and many other girls learned on digital footprints was beneficial, because it raised awareness on how easily accessible things one posts on the Internet are by colleges, future employers, and companies. Learning how to remove these footprints was only part of the important lessons girls learned at the event.
“The panel discussion gave great advice to the girls: be able to collaborate, be involved, be able to communicate, be willing to learn, and don’t set boundaries on yourself,” said Dickard.
“They also advised the girls to find mentors that they can go to for help, whether at school or at the workplace. Don’t be scared to ask for help.”
The second of the two students who attended the event, junior Kimberlee Marrs, is interested in pursuing a career in the IT field after learning about computer programming and meeting people who were interested in the same things as her. Marrs also believes that women should become more involved in the technology field.
“We’re better than guys. There’s a lot of jobs that are offered in that area, and women are powerful,” said Marrs.
Dickard plans to continue taking girls to the Girls in IT Event as long as the need for women is growing, and hopes to take more girls next year.