DeVry University Helps Close Opportunity Gap for Women in Technology

Introduces Women+Tech Scholars Program

Working to close the opportunity gap for women in STEM careers, DeVry University launches its new Women+Tech Scholars Program.

“Women were highly underrepresented in the U.S. technology sector before COVID-19 disrupted every aspect of the workplace as we knew it”

The COVID-19 pandemic created a perfect storm for women in the workforce — disproportionate job loss and the rapid acceleration of technology. This problem could be amplified even more in the technology sector as a flood of women leaves the workforce, an industry where they were already underrepresented. Now, an opportunity gap remains for women to gain the technological skills required to launch successful careers in the technology industry.

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Recognizing the severity of this problem, DeVry created the Women+Tech Scholars Program to help equip women with the skills and networking connections required to excel in a STEM career and thrive in the ever-evolving technological sector.

The program’s launch coincides with International Women’s Day, which raises awareness of gender bias and raises a call to action for advancing gender parity.

“Women were highly underrepresented in the U.S. technology sector before COVID-19 disrupted every aspect of the workplace as we knew it,” said Tom Monahan, President and CEO of DeVry University. “Unfortunately, women have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic for a number of reasons, creating even greater disparity. By responding to the rapid acceleration of technology’s use in the workplace and the increased need of tech skills in the job market, DeVry is working to close the opportunity gap and support women pursuing careers in STEM-related industries.”

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Women+Tech Scholars Program

DeVry is committed to helping women learn the new skills and develop the networking connections they need to help launch their digital careers. The Women+Tech Scholars Program offers a suite of tools and resources aimed to help women take the first step in their pursuit of a tech career. As a Women+Tech Scholar, students will:

• Be assigned a mentor cohort
• Have early access to industry-related internships and job opportunities
• Receive a complimentary basic CompTIA industry association membership
• May receive professional certification reimbursement
• Have opportunity to apply for a Women+Tech Scholarship

Women+Tech Scholars Program’s support elements are designed to help women overcome the significant barriers they face in the workplace. The program’s network of internships and job opportunities aims to combat gender imbalance in networking, while mentorship can help position female professionals to receive higher compensation, a greater number of promotions and a greater commitment to their career.

Women+Tech Scholarship

DeVry believes in the value women can bring to industries that require digital talent and financial burdens should be the last thing to stand in their way. DeVry will help launch their careers in tech with financial support designed especially for them. Through its Women+Tech Scholarship, DeVry is committed to award up to $10 million in scholarships for women in technology.

“The underrepresentation of women in technology and technical fields has become a massive impediment to healing our economy,” Monahan said. “Working to close this gender gap has never been more critical. At DeVry, we know the importance about providing the technology fluency women need to establish themselves not only in the digital workforce, but in technology fields that are shaping our economy and how we live and work.”

The Women+Tech Scholars Program is open to undergraduate students who identify as female and enroll in a qualifying Engineering & Information Sciences certificate or degree program, including computer information systems, cyber security, data mining and analytics, engineering technology and software development. The first Women+Tech Scholars Program cohort will begin on May 3, 2021.

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