A Duke University program aimed at steering more women to Silicon Valley has shown some early success, but it’s not the only one of its kind. Here’s a look at how other colleges are trying to increase the proportion of women and underrepresented minority groups working at technology companies.
A historically black university pairs up with Google: This year, Howard University and Google launched a 12-week program for computer-science majors at the technology company’s headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. The program, called Howard West, is taught by Google engineers and Howard faculty members.
Demystifying computer science: Harvey Mudd College split its introductory computer-science course into two sections: one for more experienced coders and one for students who had no prior experience. The new course is meant to provide a less intimidating pathway for students who might not yet know all the computing jargon. Often those students are women and members of underrepresented minority groups.
Resisting “female friendly” classes: While some diversity-in-tech initiatives emphasize changing the curriculum to appeal to women, Carnegie Mellon University insists that it has not done so. The university instead offers women formal networking events and mentoring programs — activities that men might be more likely to initiate on their own. The university’s approach doesn’t seem to be scaring away female high-school students; this academic year, for the first time ever at the university, where a majority of students major in STEM fields, more than half of the first-year students are women.
Colleges are building new programs in response to a longstanding problem: a dearth of women working in tech.
Female-only dorms: While not solely for computer-science majors, Virginia Tech devoted several floors of a dorm to women in its engineering school. The living arrangement is meant to help them build a supportive community. Upper-level students in the dorm mentor first-years and host social and professional-development events. Ohio State University and the University of Texas at Austin have created similar women-only living communities.
Putting money behind merit: The University of Maryland-Baltimore County has created scholarship programs for women and members of underrepresented groups who wish to pursue careers in STEM fields. The merit-based awards range from $5,000 to $15,000 for in-state students and $10,000 to $22,000 for out-of-state students. The recipients receive extra mentoring as part of the program.
Nell Gluckman writes about faculty issues and other topics in higher education. You can follow her on Twitter @nellgluckman, or email her at nell.gluckman@chronicle.com.
