Elaine Patterson has been selected as an Aspirations in Computing – South Carolina award recipient and a National Aspirations in Computing award recipient. She attends Spring Valley High School in Columbia, SC.
The award is part of a national effort to encourage more young women to choose careers in technology and is organized in South Carolina by the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) and IT-oLogy.
“With technology jobs projected to grow faster than all other job sectors in the next decade, it’s imperative that we nurture the computing aspirations of women, who will make up half the professional workforce,” said Lucy Sanders, CEO and Co-founder of NCWIT. “This award allows us recognize and encourage talent that might otherwise be overlooked.”
The NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing was created to encourage the computing aspirations of young women, introduce them to leadership opportunities in the field, and generate visibility for women’s participation in technology fields. Winners are acknowledged for their outstanding aptitude and interest in technology and computing, leadership ability, academic history, and plans for post-secondary education.
Eighteen young women will be honored at a reception hosted by IT-oLogy, Winthrop University and Columbia College in late January. The group includes 12 winners, four honorable mentions, one national Aspirations recipient and one honorable mention national recipient.
About IT-oLogy: IT-oLogy is a non-profit collaboration of
businesses, academic institutions and other organizations dedicated to growing
the IT talent pipeline and advancing the IT profession. For more information
about IT-oLogy, visit www.it-ology.org or contact Rachel Barnett at
803.354.5735 or rachel.barnett@it-ology.org.
ABOUT THE AWARD
The NCWIT Award for Aspirations in
Computing (AiC) honors high school women who are active and interested in
computing and technology, and encourages them to pursue their passions. Award
for AiC recipients are chosen for their demonstrated interest and achievements
in computing, proven leadership ability, academic performance, and plans for
post-secondary education. The multi-tiered structure includes recognition at
the national and local levels, serving all 50 States, the District of Columbia,
Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and all U.S. overseas military
bases. The NCWIT Award for AiC is sponsored by Apple, Bank of America,
Microsoft, Motorola Solutions Foundation, and Symantec.
ABOUT NCWIT
The National Center for Women &
Information Technology (NCWIT) is a non-profit community of more than 850
universities, companies, non-profits, and government organizations nationwide
working to increase women’s participation in computing and technology. NCWIT
equips change leaders with resources for taking action in recruiting,
retaining, and advancing women from K–12 and higher education through industry
and entrepreneurial careers. Find out more at www.ncwit.org.