(Story submitted by Tina Rice, iDEW Outreach Coordinator)
On September 14, 2018 more than 240 students from five high schools converged onto the IUPUI campus to participate in the 2nd Annual iDEW Day. The annual event allows high school students to hear from IT industry leaders, tour the IUPUI campus, get an in-depth look at academic units, and learn about the resources the university has to offer.
The School of Informatics and Computing hosts the event and invites students who participate in the Informatics Diversity-Enhanced Workforce (iDEW) program. This year, 10th to 12th grade students from five of the eight iDEW schools—Pike, Providence Cristo Rey, George Washington Community, Arsenal Technical, and McKenzie Center for Innovation and Technology—participated. The School of Informatics and Computing, Herron School of Art + Design, Kelley School of Business, the School of Science, the School of Engineering and Technology, and the School of Nursing, along with school resources, 21st Century Scholars, Multicultural Center, Diversity Enrichment and Achievement Program, and the Admissions office, were all engaged in this year’s event.
The students and the school units agreed that the event was what they were looking for, in regard to being able to engage and learn more about what IUPUI has to offer prospective students.
“I like that the students were given the opportunity to visit different schools and learn about school resources,” said JaMon Pascall, Assistant Director of Admissions, Kelley School of Business. “The students who visited our school were extremely engaged, and those who were not able to (visit) reached out to us during the resource fair. I am looking forward to the School of Business continuing to be a part of this event,” he added.
iDEW Day accomplished its goal of showcasing some of what IUPUI has to offer. The event began with Vic Oditah, Technical Account Manager at Genesys, and Jim Lyst, School of Informatics and Computing faculty member and iDEW curriculum designer, welcoming the students to campus. The welcome was followed by each resource unit giving the students an overview of the resources they offer students. Before arriving to campus, each student was given the opportunity to choose two different school units to visit during the day. Students were allowed to visit the resource fair before and after they visited their school units of choice.
“Being a part of iDEW Day actually helped me to see myself being a student at IUPUI. I like that we were given the opportunity to visit different schools and get a glimpse of what IUPUI has to offer,” said Anthony Jones, Arsenal Technical High School junior.
About iDEW
Through community partnerships iDEW attracts high schoolers to informatics and computing with innovative programs, providing a successful and diverse workforce that can power the digital economy. At their schools, hundreds of Indiana students have taken iDEW classes, which follow a project-based curriculum designed by IUPUI faculty. This nationally recognized STEM program for high school students, created in 2015 by the School of Informatics and Computing at IUPUI, focuses on opportunities for women and underrepresented minority students.
Media Contact
Joanne Lovrinic
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317-278-9208