Georgia Gwinnett College received $200,000 Google grant

Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) received a $200,000 grant from Google.org, the company's philanthropy, that will ensure the continuation of its Empowering Women in Tech bootcamp. The program, which has been inspiring students for the past decade, equips women with vital tech skills and fosters a vibrant community of future leaders. College officials say it's a significant step forward in bridging the gender gap in technology and empowering the next generation of innovators.

"This transformative gift will help us continue encouraging women to pursue careers in technology," said Jennifer Hendrickson, associate vice president of Advancement and president of the GGC Foundation. "These bootcamps are designed to give women a well-rounded opportunity to expand their skills and career opportunities."

"Google is committed to fostering a more inclusive tech ecosystem, and we're proud to support Georgia Gwinnett College's innovative programming bootcamp," said Anona Shugart Walker from Google.org. "This initiative will empower the next generation of women in technology, equipping them with the technical skills and social capital to succeed in this rapidly evolving field."

Studies have found that having more women in technology careers is beneficial for organizations. A McKinsey & Company study shows that closing the gender gap in the technology field could add an estimated $12 trillion to the global gross domestic product by the year 2025. But according to the 2024 Skillsoft Women in Tech Report, only 25 percent of the tech workforce are women. The McKinsey study also found that the results of a lack of diversity can limit an organization's ability to solve complex problems and stifle creativity.

"With this grant, we can expand our bootcamps from twice a year to five times a year," said Dr. Hyesung Park, associate professor of information technology. "Each bootcamp builds upon that sense of camaraderie and a sense of belonging for women pursuing an IT career. They go beyond the technical skills they learn to include insights from invited tech leaders, who will share their career path and experiences, offering valuable guidance to help participants plan their own academic and career journeys."

The goal, said Park, is to recruit 400 women to attend these bootcamps, which will begin in January 2025.

Photo caption: Mai Duong and Nabaa Ahmed collaborate on coding during the Winter 2025 Java Boot Camp held on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025 at Georgia Gwinnett College. The program, funded through a Google.org grant, is designed to prepare students for success in their upcoming Java programming courses. Photo by Daniel Melograna/Georgia Gwinnett College.

View and download Winter 2025 Java Boot Camp gallery photos.