9/20/2023 0 Comments Uci canvas“ WiTIN provides a great opportunity for everyone to learn from each other by highlighting a unique educational topic at every event”, says Han. Their focus on building a diverse coalition also extends to shining a light on broader social issues in tech and corporate settings, including accessibility and racial inclusivity. Aligning with the vision of Women in Technology at UCI, WiTIN monthly meetings are open to all allies of women in technical roles, the monthly meetings are also open to all allies of women in technical roles. Meetings are informal and allow for virtual and in-person participation, and the team collects suggestions from attendees at the end of each event.Īnd according to the team, the audience has been incredibly receptive, with attendees stating that the guidance they have received from the meetings has benefitted their own professional lives. Although the meetings are well-planned out in advance, the group prides itself on its openness and responsiveness to audience feedback. A standard WiTIN event begins with a presentation from a speaker working in tech across UCI, and then moves to an open networking session where attendees can get to know one another and learn about their different careers. The organizing team wanted to stay in touch and impart to others what they learned from LEAP by creating an initiative that was focused on networking and mentorship on a wider scale. Their drive to establish WiTIN came from experiencing first-hand how the networking component in LEAP benefitted them as women in tech, with Arunachalam saying, “ gave me an opportunity to reflect on many challenges that women in tech are facing and how to make a difference by building impactful and inclusive networking opportunities that would introduce a culture of belonging.” Adurthi added that LEAP networking sessions even fostered conversations about tough personal and professional experiences, prompting the realization “ that there are many women who are seeking some guidance and help.” Bottom row (left to right) Angela Han, Srilatha Adurthi, Lakshmi Arunachalam. Top row (left to right) Regina Castleman, Carolina Manel, Shohreh Bozorgmehri. UCI Student Affairs IT Manager Angela Han joined shortly after the group’s launch, rounding out the team. Among these alumni are the founders and organizers of WiTIN, and although it was only their third event, the organizers had a clear and focused vision for what the initiative would be.įollowing their completion of the inaugural class of the LEAP program in early 2021, the majority of the team, including School of Biological Sciences Web Developer Carolina Manel, Lead Library Services Platform (LSP) Administrator Lakshmi Arunachalam, Office of Information Technology Application Developer Srilatha Adurthi and School of Biological Sciences Marketing and Communications Manager Regina Castleman, conceptualized the idea of an initiative focused on providing a safe and supportive environment for women in technology to network and share authentic conversations about their experiences. “The enterprise-wide commitment from the Merage School Leadership Development Institute, OIT, and ODIT makes a program like this possible.”Įlniski also stated that the program now boasts a total of 120 alumni, with more to come as future cohorts enroll in the program. ![]() ![]() “ What makes the LEAP program unique is that it is custom designed for and by UCI women in technology,” says Mollee Elniski, managing director at the Merage School’s Leadership Development Institute and host of the certificate program. WiTIN has its roots in Leadership, Equality, Allies, and Presence (LEAP), a certificate program founded by Stacey Rose and Shohreh Bozorgmehri of the Office of Information Technology (OIT) and jointly hosted with the Paul Merage School of Business, dedicated to helping women develop their leadership skills, gain experience networking and reshaping workplace culture. The event was hosted by Women in Tech Inclusive Networking (WiTIN), a newly-formed initiative under the Women In Technology at UCI banner, dedicated to hosting monthly networking and speaker events to foster open communication and support for women in technology careers and their allies. They were here for a speaker event with OIT web developer Sylvia Bass, who had been invited to give a presentation on the redesign process for the updated OIT website. It was a temperate late-October afternoon when attendees gathered in adjoining rooms on the 5th floor of the UCI Science Library.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |