When it comes to women in information technology (IT) whether as students or those for whom IT is their career there is strength in numbers.

In a field where both the student body and the workforce typically are dominated by men, strength can be found by networking with peers and successful women who have overcome the stereotypes and misconceptions. That is why, beginning with high school girls and lasting through undergraduate and graduate studies, the College of Information Science and Technology (IS&T) is providing resources and information to show there are opportunities for women in IT.

This fall, two events illustrate the college's commitment to furthering women in IT. In early October, Dr. Ilze Zigurs, chair of the college's Department of Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis, and three undergraduate students attended the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing "We Build a Better World" conference in Keystone, Colorado.

Later that month, IS&T recruiter Judith Monarrez DiazKelsey coordinated a day long symposium, "Find Your Place in the World of IT," that attracted more than 40 girls and several teachers from area high schools. These events and others sponsored by the college aim to help reverse the trends of recent years. In 1984, for example, women earned 37 percent of undergraduate degrees in computer science, but in the last 15 years, that number has dropped to 20 percent.

Zigurs says that while the number of women receiving technology degrees may have declined, that isn't necessarily true of the number of opportunities awaiting women graduates. According to the National Center for Women and Information Technology, while women influence or control 83 percent of all consumer purchases, including 66 percent of all home computers, women hold fewer than 22 percent of the software engineering positions available.

"That's why we are working so hard to show young women that now is a great time to study IT, because the opportunities haven't gone away only the women graduates to fill them," Zigurs says. "We want to show how women can be successful in technology." The college's efforts may be beginning to pay off. For the 2008 fall semester there were 123 women enrolled in undergraduate and graduate studies in the College of IS&T, compared to 667 men. That is an improvement over the fall semester in 2007, when there were 107 women enrolled.

Attracting young women to the college begins in high school by battling many misconceptions, says Kelsey. "Girls ask, 'Don't you have to be a computer geek to study IT?' or 'Aren't girls who study IT all super smart and nerdy?'" she says. "Or they ask if a career in IT is dull and mundane." Her answer each time is an emphatic, "No." Then she invites them to take a look for themselves. "Once we get the girls to visit the college for an event, and they get to meet the young women who are studying IS&T fields, or meet with some of our business partners and mentors who are women," Kelsey says, "they see for themselves that the IT fields can be very rewarding and lucrative options them."

With the "Find Your Place" event, she says, "our goal was to generate awareness of the IT fields and identify barriers that might be preventing young women from choosing these fields." The high school girls who attended the October event were very positive in their evaluations. Forty participants replied that the session had improved their knowledge about opportunities in IT, and all but one responded that they were encouraged by what they heard.

"That kind of positive feedback is incredible," Kelsey says. "I think we succeeded." The students who attended the Grace Hopper Conference expressed similar positive impressions of that event. Cofounded by Dr. Anita Borg and Dr. Telle Whitney in 1994 and inspired by the legacy of Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, it is the largest technical conference for women in computing. It highlights collaboration, networking and mentoring for junior women and provides visibility for the contributions of women in computing.

UNO and IS&T served as a bronze academic underwriter for the fourday conference. In return, the college received three undergraduate conference scholarships, which included travel and hotel reimbursement. Attending with Zigurs were junior Sarah Benes, who is studying computer science and library science; and seniors Melani Hall and Stephanie Drozd, both majoring in management information systems. Benes says the conference was a great way to network and meet potential employers, graduate students and technology leaders. "Many of the sessions put us in direct contact with these people, and enabled us to get oneonone information about what it's really like in the technical world," she says.

She also became aware of networking resources such as the online forum, Systers. Founded in 1987, Systers is the world's largest email community of technical women in computing. Systers promotes the interests of women in the computing and technology fields by providing them a private space to seek advice from peers and discuss challenges they face.

Systers (information can be found at anitaborg.org/initiatives/systers) has more than 2,700 members in 54 countries and is for technical women of all ages and at any stage in their studies or careers. "The conference was an amazing opportunity that has really helped me feel welcome in the IT world," Benes says. "Getting to know others and seeing what they have accomplished really motivates you." Drozd says the successful women she heard and met at the conference show that progress is being made.

"Hearing from women with over 25 years of experience working their way up the ladder really puts your life in perspective," she says. "They are the ones who have paved the road for women, and I am very grateful for that." She also learned how women who work in a maledominated industry can be certain their voice is heard. "You definitely have to speak up!"