2014 Strategically Recruiting Women into Your Undergraduate Computing Major Leisa Thompson, Ph.D University of Virginia/NCWIT October 10, 2014 #GHC

Introduction  Leisa Thompson, Ph.D −Research Scientist, University of Virginia, −Director of Research & Consulting NCWIT Extension Services for Undergraduate Programs  Education −BS - Computer Science California State University-Northridge −Masters – Workforce Education −Ph.D - Higher Education Leadership University of Nevada, Las Vegas

2014  Extension Services (ES) – provides consulting to computing and engineering departments as they plan and implement systemic initiatives for increasing women’s representation in computing and engineering  Our consultants focus on recruitment, retention, and advancement of women in undergraduate programs  Funded by : −National Science Foundation −Google  Accepting applications for new ES client institutions −Deadline: Today, October 10 −

2014 Why Create a Strategic Plan for Recruiting?

2014 Strategic Planning Helps You To…  Identify specific and reasonable goals  Choose relevant interventions and activities coordinated to reinforce each other  Create a shared vision  Choose metrics and carefully track what works and what doesn’t to improve allocation of scarce resources

2014 NCWIT Approach to Recruiting  Greatest return on investment  Shortest time to bring benefits  Smallest resource commitment

2014 Components of a Strategic Recruiting Plan  Identify and inform target audiences likely to succeed and their influencers  Leverage your assets  Tailor, test, refine message content  Reach your audience  Track & report results

2014 Identifying “Low-Hanging Fruit ”  Already on campus or soon to arrive  Criteria for the major (e.g., mathematics competence)  Largest majors on your campus  Contact possibilities already available  Your program and their interests

2014 Many Students Have Math Competence

2014 Treat Intro Courses as Recruiting Opportunities  Intro to your major  CS-Zero courses  Computer literacy courses  Service courses (e.g., to engineering students required to take CS)  Summer bridge

2014 Hung up trying to do it all yourself? Losing footing in your academic career? Leverage Your Existing Assets

2014 Leverage Points Checklists

2014 Control the Message  Tailor, test, refine message content

2014 Include Influencers in Your Target Audience Family Friends Teachers Guidance counselors Extracurricular group leaders Celebrities Companies

2014 Which Messages Do All Audiences Need to Hear?  Diversity is important  Lots of jobs  High entry-level salaries with 4-year degree  Satisfying  Flexibility: industry, geographic  Social relevance  Work with others  Time with family

2014 Why Diversity in Tech Matters

2014 NCWIT research summary: Research Evidence for Financial Performance

2014 Jobs are Plenty Salaries are High Jobs are Satisfying Statistics

2014 Numeric growth in employment of wage and salary workers by detailed industry, projected 2012– 2022, in thousands of jobs (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014)

2014 Percent change in employment by major occupational group, projected 2012–2022 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014)

2014 Career Enjoyment: America’s Best Jobs Mathematician, BS, $101K 2. University professor, Ph.D., $69K 3. Statistician, BS, $76K 4. Actuary, BS, $94K 5. Audiologist, Ph.D., $70K 6. Dental hygienist, AS/certificates, $70K 7. Software engineer, BS, $93K 8. Computer systems analyst, BS, $80K 9. Occupational therapist, MS, $75K 10. Speech pathologist, MS, $70K Source: Careercast.com

2014 Craft Messages to Appeal to Present Goals  Majors Most Commonly Intended by Women in the U.S., 2008  Source: College Board

2014 Describe the Relevance of CS: It’s Everywhere

2014 Computer Scientists Work in Every Industry Source: dotdiva.org

2014 How Do You Contact Students?  Develop media that can be handed out on campus  Show up at orientation  Current students do talks in large-lecture core courses (e.g., Biology 101)  Posters  Advisors / advisor listservs  Off campus: teachers, parents, principals, counselors

2014 Back   Front

2014 Summary: Describe Careers That Spark Women’s Interest  Lots of jobs  High entry-level salaries with 4-year degree  Satisfying  Flexibility: industry, geographic  Social relevance  Work with others  Time with family

2014 Test Messages and Images

2014 Formative Assessment  Record your activities −Who you contacted −What you said −Who responded  Collect & analyze satisfaction and interest by −Contact −Message  Investigate your successes to identify essential elements  Revise your recruitment strategy  Share your results

2014 Research on Best Practices for Recruiting Video

2014 Boxes Practices Talking PointsWorkbooksTop TenReports NCWIT Can Help More Free NCWIT Resources (ncwit.org)

2014 NCWIT Creates and Distributes Research-based Resources About Girls/Women and Computing

2014 A Spanish language, multi-media microsite for K-12 girls and their adult influencers, aimed at increasing Latina girls’ meaningful participation in computer science education and careers. Graciously funded by Motorola Solutions Foundation Latinas in Computing

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