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Making Connections: IBM and the iSchool SARAH WEBER
I Sarah Weber
n past Industry Insights columns, I’ve highlighted a number of companies with a focus on the individual engagement that each has with the iSchool. For this column, I look at one company, IBM, and the numerous initiatives where they partner with the iSchool. Through their engagements, IBM has collectively addressed developing a diverse talent pipeline of high school women into the field of information technology, has enriched current student skillsets through real-world applications, and has prepared students for their professional careers. These initiatives have touched many students at different points in their academic careers and provided them with opportunities to learn more about new
technologies, and prepared them for inspiring new careers in the field of information technology. IBM’s broad and varied engagements with the iSchool provide a solid and holistic foundation to innovate and expand from, engaging industry experts, students, faculty, and alumni.
IT GIRLS OVERNIGHT RETREAT
JULIE WALAS
A sponsor and strong supporter of the iSchool’s It Girls Overnight Retreat for a number of years, IBM raised their level of support in 2018 to generously become the program’s first Event Level sponsor. For eight years, approximately 100 high school students, junior and senior women from across the country have traveled to Syracuse University each year to participate in a fun-filled, technology-focused, two-day event. Designed to support and engage the It Girls, the event also helps them develop a pathway to study Information Technology as an academic discipline. Essential components of the program are the opportunities the It Girls have to meet like-minded students and create meaningful connections with professional women, iSchool staff, faculty, current students, and iSchool alumnae who work in the IT industry. Connections and technical knowledge were shared with the It Girls through a number of means, including industry and academia-led workshops and an insightful conversation with IBM Keynote Speaker, Sharon Fortune Bowden. Sharon shared a relevant and engaging presentation with the It Girls about their futures and the vast opportunities there are for women in the field of information technology.
IBM’s Sharon Fortune Bowden (lower right) was the keynote speaker for our 2018 It Girls Overnight Retreat.
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THE iSCHOOL @ SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY
Exemplifying the spirit of the It Girls program with her message of “IT means everything,” Sharon connected and inspired many future female technologists and leaders.
CALL FOR CODE
IBM’s Call for Code Global Initiative inspires technologists around the world to apply their skill sets and talent to drive positive and long-lasting change across the world. Hosted at Syracuse University’s Blackstone LaunchPad in Bird Library, 125 students from across campus formed teams and challenged themselves to develop solutions that significantly improve preparedness for natural disasters and relief in their aftermath. Following a hackathon-style format, the program culminated with final presentations to a panel of technologists from IBM and the Syracuse community. Enthusiastic for opportunities to apply their knowledge to real-world challenges, iSchool students represented the largest contingency at the event, and a team of five graduate students from the iSchool’s Information Management and Applied Data Science degrees won the challenge. All participants had exposure to tools such as IBM Watson, Chat Bot Engine, and IBM Blockchain through this initiative, enhancing their understanding of current technologies and inspiring them to think of new and innovative applications for them.
FALL CAREER FAIR
An important event each Fall semester, the iSchool welcomes companies from across the country to campus to recruit talented students. A participant of many past iSchool career fairs, both Fall and Spring, IBM has leveraged these high-visibility events to connect directly with students in all iSchool programs,
