We Are IT

Author: Laura Moorman

November 2009

On Friday, November 20th, Sinclair Community College will host the annual “We are IT” event for middle and high school girls interested in learning more about careers in Information Technology. Sponsored by the Ohio Department of Education, “We are IT” will be hosted at a total of fifteen colleges and universities across the state this year. The event was started in 2006 as a way to encourage young women to consider the wide variety of opportunities in IT and other STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) related careers.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Computer scientists and database administrators are projected to be one of the fastest growing occupations over the next decade. Strong employment growth combined with a limited supply of qualified workers will result in excellent employment prospects for this occupation and a high demand for their skills.”  Meeting this growing demand within the state, and in the Dayton area, will require engaging with and recruiting from a diverse pool of talented students across the region.

According to Patty Santoianni, director of Sinclair’s “We are IT” event, the idea seemed a natural fit for Sinclair, which has the substantial facilities needed to host a large number of students from the local area. Last year, 226 ninth and tenth grade students from fifteen Miami Valley schools participated in the one-day event, which included breakout sessions that focused on different applications of technology. Popular breakout sessions included

•    “I Know what you did…” an examination of the truth and consequences of networking sites like Facebook and MySpace, designed by Sinclair Criminal Justice professor Pam Chambers
•    “PhotoShop: One-Click Wow!” an instructive session on using PhotoShop, presented by Sinclair Digital Design professor Amanda Romero
•    A panel discussion presented by students from the Miami Valley Career Technology Center

Students then enjoyed lunch and discussion with over fifty female IT professionals, including developers, DBAs, managers, and executives that work for schools, hospitals, and companies across the Dayton area.
Several local companies sponsor the event, including Teradata, Lexis-Nexis, and Digital Cowboy, which donated a laptop for the winner of the essay contest.
Santoianni says she hopes that students will come away from the event with greater knowledge about the diverse career opportunities in IT, some good advice from their “lunch buddies”, and most importantly, will have fun while learning about different applications of technology.

The “We are IT” event relies on the sponsorship of local companies to make the day a success. Local businesses interested in contributing to, or volunteering for, the event can contact Patty Santoianni at 937-512-2750 or via email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Additional information can be found on their website at www.sinclair.edu/we-are-IT.