Business View Civil and Municipal | May 2021

5 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL MAY 2021 O p e n i n g L i n e s M A Y 2 0 2 1 SHETECH VIRTUAL SUMMIT BOLSTERS TALENT PIPELINE AND ECONOMY BY ACTIVATING HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS INTO STEM Women Tech Council program increases number of girls in STEM fields through role models and mentors T he Women Tech Council (WTC), a national organization focused on the economic impact of women in technology, has launched the SheTech Live Virtual Summit to activate high school girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). As the world grapples with the first female recession and a greater urgency to create opportunities for women, especially women in tech, SheTech propels girls towards STEM fields by giving them role models and mentors who help them see what STEM careers are like and give them a vision of what they can achieve. Even as people across the country remain physically distanced, these connections inspire girls’ future decisions about careers and opportunities. “From our work activating thousands of girls across the country into STEM fields, we have repeatedly seen that one of the most important things to alter a girls’ trajectory and expand her vision of what’s possible for herself is to give her a role model who can show her what she can become,” said Cydni Tetro, president of WTC. “Showing these girls strong women creating new technologies, leading companies and doing fascinating things in STEM alters the path of their lives, their families, their communities, the entire technology sector, and the global economy.” This Summit brings together thousands of high school girls, hundreds of industry mentors and several leading technology companies for mentor interactions and live career workshops. Through these opportunities, the Summit helps students see the need for them in technology careers and