ITSMF EMERGE Mentorship Program

ITSMF EMERGE Mentorship Program

Organization: Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF)

Overview: The EMERGE Mentorship Program pairs experienced technology professionals with Black female students pursuing degrees in technology fields. Launched as a pilot in 2019 and expanded through a $500,000 grant from Reboot Representation in 2020.

Program Growth

• Pilot (2019-2020): 25 students from 6 HBCUs
• 2021 Academic Year: 50 students
• Three-Year Goal: 375 students across HBCUs and Majority Serving Institutions (MSIs)

Geographic Scope

• Pilot schools: Clark Atlanta University, Hampton University, Howard University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, North Carolina Central University, South Carolina State University
• Expansion planned to additional schools selected based on predefined criteria
• Nationwide coverage across HBCUs and MSIs

Eligibility

• Black female college students
• Sophomore or junior year standing
• STEM majors
• Interested in technology careers

Program Components

1. 1:1 Mentorship with experienced technology industry leaders 2. Speaker Series featuring technology professionals 3. Group Sessions for peer engagement and learning 4. Scholarships and Internships including: - Annual scholarships for gap funding and stipends - Internship opportunities with partner companies

Focus Areas

• Support and retention of Black women in STEM majors
• Address barriers Black female technology students face
• Bridge gender diversity gap in technology
• Career preparation and professional networking

Program Outcomes

• 75% of students expected to complete their majors
• 48% increase in internship opportunities among participants
• ITSMF has graduated over 600 professionals in leadership programs, with over 50% women of color
• 75-80% of graduates received promotions or expanded job responsibilities within 12 months

Funding

• $500,000 grant from Reboot Representation (2020)

Contact Information

• Phone: +1 (404) 514-4845
• Email: connect@itsmfleaders.org
• Website: www.itsmfleaders.org

Background

The program addresses the "leaky pipeline" in STEM—high attrition rates caused by lack of belonging, unconscious bias, and stereotypes. The EMERGE Academy, which houses women-focused programming, evolved from a successful 2018 proof-of-concept capstone project.