Third annual WIT Day shows young women the way to tech

By Gil Pound

A ccording to the National Girls Collaborative Project, women are half of the United States workforce, but hold less than a quarter of the engineering, computer science and physics degrees earned.

To show young women that they too belong in STEM-related fields and classrooms, Georgia College & State University hosted its third annual Women in Technology Day Feb. 20. Students from five area high schools were welcomed onto campus for a full-day tech conference led by GCSU faculty and student guides.

Dr. Joy Godin, professor of management information systems in the J. Whitney Bunting College of Business & Technology, says girls are diverted away from technology at an early age.

"Societal messaging and stereotypes often steer girls away from math and technology, framing these fields as more naturally suited to boys," said Godin. "This can quietly shape a young girl's sense of what careers feel accessible or welcoming to her long before she ever sets foot in a college classroom.

"Events like WIT Day are so important," Godin added. "By exposing young women to technology in a supportive, inclusive and exciting environment and surrounding them with women who are already succeeding in the field, we hope to challenge those assumptions early and show them that technology is absolutely a space where they belong."

One way to accomplish that is by introducing the students to women who have blazed trails in the field of technology. WIT Day began with a breakfast and a keynote presentation from Christa Jordan, a senior digital transformation architect for technology firm Booz Allen Hamilton. Then it was over to the College of Business & Technology for hands-on breakout sessions that mirror the immersive activities GCSU students experience in their coursework.

The high schoolers entered the world of virtual reality in Georgia College's SAP Lab, used robotic process automation to cut an hours-long task into a few minutes, and were introduced to Base44, an artificial intelligence-powered platform that can turn a text prompt into a full web application.

"We saw AI and technology influence business in ways I never knew before," said Victoria Byrd, a junior from John Milledge Academy.

Lunch time brought another featured speaker in Michelle Black, program director for mergers and acquisitions at Salesforce, a leader in customer relationship management technology.

"When girls can see women thriving in technology roles, they are far more likely to pursue those paths themselves," said Godin. "This is one of the reasons we are intentional about bringing accomplished women from industry directly to our high school participants."

Students returned to the computer lab for some friendly competition in an enterprise resource planning simulation. The high schoolers were handed the keys to their own maple syrup business and had to make real-time decisions affecting inventory, sales and profits. Guided by GCSU WIT Club members, teams used the simulation software to try and lead their companies to high-dollar valuations.

Master of Management Information Systems students and Double Bobcats Gracie Taylor and Carley Perez said they did not attend anything like WIT Day when they were in high school. They believe doing so would have shaped their educational journeys sooner.

"I took extra steps to get to the MIS program here," said Taylor, GCSU WIT Club president. "Getting that early exposure would have expedited the process for me."

"WIT Day is a great opportunity for students to see what technology is available at their fingertips," Perez said. "It would have been really helpful to me because you get an idea for what you'll do in the MIS program and what kind of career opportunities that can lead to."

Header Images: GCSU WIT Club students served as guides throughout the day. High schoolers enjoying the Oculus Quest virtual reality headsets and Dr. Joy Godin led students through the ERP simulation. (Photos: Gil Pound)