ASB, People, RSSFeed, System, TVFeed, Videos

Developing Future Generations: Women in IS Mentor Young Students

Read Time: 2 mins

A group of women in Information Systems (IS) created a group where they could discuss issues facing females in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. But what started as a group of women in IS has now grown to become a different kind of community: one that inspires young women in the Dayton area.

Beth Search, executive director of IS Operations for the network, was talking to her neighbor when she learned about On Purpose Girls Mentoring: an organization that aims to elevate and inspire young girls to be purposeful, resilient, confident, and service-oriented. The program targets girls who are statistically predisposed to issues like academic failure, low self-esteem, depression, bullying, and poverty.

At the time, the organization had just received a grant to create a computer room, but they had no way of setting it up. The women in IS knew this was an area where they could make a difference, and the group was eager to engaged.

“We always wanted to have a service mindset because it’s always about how we show up and serve others at work, at home, and within our communities,” says Beth.

Over the next six months, 21 women from IS came together to build the 12-desk computer lab, complete with Internet connectivity, that consists of six laptops and desktops, a web server, and a projector.

But their assistance didn’t stop there. After building the computer lab, the women continued to visit the organization and are now teaching computer skills and coding to the girls two days a week.

“I have heard Kim, the founder of On Purpose Girls Mentoring, say ‘it’s hard to become what you cannot see.’ The goal is to expose the girls to as much as possible, show them that hey have options,” Beth says.

“We all have the opportunity to make a difference in our community. No matter our season, we have something to give. It won’t deplete us; it will enrich us as we’re being made each day to be more like Christ.”

Are you interested in volunteering or becoming a mentor at On Purpose Girls Mentoring? Contact Kashiri Favors at kashiri.favors@ketteringhealth.org

March 26, 2018
ABOUT K-NEWS

Kettering Health employees’ hub for system updates, stories about our people, events, and more.