Dear Campus Community,
We are excited to announce the completion of the Center for Women in Technology new strategic plan. Thank you to our students, campus partners, alumni and many CWIT friends who helped contribute to the reflection and design of our new mission, values statement, vision, and goals for the next several years. Check out our new materials below:
Vision & Mission (Updated)
CWIT Values Statement (NEW!)
Our Goals:
- Goal 1: Program Delivery: Strengthen vital undergraduate Scholars and Affiliates programs committed to increasing the participation and success of women and other underrepresented groups in technology fields. Our programs are designed to support women pursuing degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics but are open to students of any sex, gender, and/or gender identity.
- Goal 2: Community Building: Cultivate a supportive, diverse, community for all undergraduate women and their allies in computing and engineering at UMBC.
- Goal 3: Gender Climate Research: Examine and address gender climate in COEIT through research on the undergraduate educational experience.
- Goal 4: Pipeline Development: Create opportunities for K-12 students to deepen their interest in computing and engineering through outreach programs. The outreach programs are open to all qualifying K-12 students.
- Goal 5: Advocacy: Focus university-wide attention and resources on the needs of all in technology education.
- Goal 6: National Impact: Contribute to the national dialogue on educational best practices in technology education.
Who Are “All Women?”
“All women” includes all persons who identify as female, regardless of race, nationality, sexual orientation, or gender expression. Women in our community include, but are not limited to:
- Women of color
- Transgender and non-binary women
- Lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, intersex, and asexual women
- Women of all religious and spiritual backgrounds
- Women with disabilities
- Women of all ages
- Women veterans
- Women who are parents and caregivers
While our vision is about the role of women and other underrepresented communities in the tech workforce beyond UMBC, CWIT is available to students of all races, sexes, genders, gender identities, and/or national origins, as well as allies, as this work is essential, and enriches all who engage in our mission.
What Does Technology Include?
CWIT is a department within the College of Engineering & Information Technology (COEIT), which consists of the following programs:
- Business Technology Administration
- Chemical Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Computer Science
- Information Systems
- Mechanical Engineering
Who We Serve
CWIT directly serves two distinct audiences with our programs and initiatives:
- COEIT Undergraduate Students – Our Scholars Programs, Affiliates Programs, educational research projects, and community events are focused on improving and enhancing the undergraduate experience in the College.
- K-12 Students – We support K-12 students from all backgrounds, including those from underrepresented communities, through engaging programs that encourage their interest in and identification with computing and engineering.
CWIT also engages with the following groups to educate and encourage an inclusive COEIT community towards furthering our mission at UMBC and beyond:
- CWIT Internal Advisory Board
- COEIT Alumni
- COEIT Faculty and Staff
- Parents for Women in Technology (PWIT)
- UMBC Campus Partners
- Industry and Government Partners
- A broad array of external research and advocacy groups focused on broadening participation in engineering and computing education
We are looking forward to the next 20 years of creating a positive impact in the College of Engineering and Information Technology! If you have any questions about our new changes and plans please do not hesitate to reach out to us.
Sincerely,
The CWIT Team