SAN FRANCISCO, April 11, 2017—The Institute of International Education (IIE) and Juniper Networks (NYSE: JNPR) announced its class of winners for the WeTech Scholarships & Internships for University Women in STEM. Fourteen women across the globe were selected to receive a scholarship to support their undergraduate studies in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, and also participate in an internship at one of the global offices of a leading technology company, Juniper Networks.
Currently in its third year, this class of scholars comes from universities in India, the United States, and for the first time, students studying in Europe were also eligible to apply. Over the three-year period, twenty-five young women have been awarded WeTech scholarships and paid internships at Juniper Networks, gaining real-world experience and broadening their professional networks to ensure their success as future STEM leaders.
The statistics for young women in engineering and technology studies are bleak: just 12% of engineers are women and women hold only 26% of all tech jobs. Despite earning the majority of bachelor’s degrees, women earn fewer than 20% of computer science degrees. Empowering the next generation of women in the technology sector is critical to the global and local economies, critical to the growth of businesses, and critical to the social health of communities. Through various WeTech initiatives, IIE is working to encourage women around the world to pursue and sustain careers in STEM-related fields.The fourteen global winners who were chosen together with Juniper Networks selection committees are:
- Adriana Amyette, Computer Science major from Georgia Institute of Technology, U.S.
- Bhuvi Gupta, Electrical Engineering major from IIT Kanpur, India
- Dhaarani Chandrasekaran, Electronics and Communication Engineering major from PSG College of Technology, India
- Ganga Shinghal, Computer Science and Engineering major from Manipal Institute of Technology, India
- Gayatri Nair, Theoretical Computer Science major from PSG College of Technology, India
- Lara Orlandic, Electrical Engineering major from Georgia Institute of Technology, U.S.
- Louise Heeney, Mechatronics and Robotics major from University of Leeds, U.K.
- Mahathy Nemalikanti, Electronics and Communication Engineering major from Manipal Institute of Technology, India
- Megan O’Connor, Computer Science major from North Carolina State University, U.S.
- Prathibha Muralidharan, Computer Science and Engineering major from PSG College of Technology, India
- Rajeshwari Srinivasan, Theoretical Computer Science major from PSG College of Technology, India
- Sara Norris, Computer Science major from Georgia Institute of Technology, U.S.
- Sophie Supple, Computer Science major from University of Leeds, U.K.
- Srishti Bhargava, Computer and Communications major from Manipal Institute of Technology, India
The students will begin their Juniper Networks’ internships at various times throughout 2017: the participants from India began in the spring, the U.S. winners will intern in the summer and the European students will excitedly begin their internships this fall.
Kelcy Newton, a former award winner who studies computer science at the Georgia Institute of Technology, shared her experience as a summer intern at Juniper Networks in 2016: “My weeks at Juniper Networks were jam-packed with intern events, continuous coding, lunches with Juniper employees, and more opportunities than I ever could have hoped for. In three short months, I discovered a passion for the networking industry and I was given responsibilities and work that allowed me to make a significant impact.”
IIE has led numerous programs across the world that aim to increase access to education, particularly among marginalized communities. After decades of experience engaging schools, universities and governments to expand broad participation in educational opportunities, IIE launched the WeTech consortium in 2013 to engage companies in efforts that foster access to education in the global communities where they work and to build a future talent pool for their industry.
For more information visit WeTech on Twitter and Facebook.
About WeTech
The Institute of International Education (IIE) created WeTech to help women and girls enter into and succeed in Information and Communication Technology education and careers, as a core part of its commitment to empower women. IIE joined with corporate partners who share this vision to launch WeTech at the 2013 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting. WeTech is led by IIE and its initiatives are carried out in China, India, Taiwan, Africa and the United States with a consortium that includes Qualcomm Incorporated, Goldman Sachs, Google and Juniper Networks as lead collaborators.
About the Institute of International Education
The Institute of International Education (IIE) is the leader in providing international education strategies and program services. Our international approach to education—diverse, borderless, impactful—is a proven way for governments and companies to invest in global talent and solidify overseas relationships. We work with policymakers, educators and employers across the globe to prepare students and professionals for the global workforce and equip them to solve the increasingly complex challenges facing our interconnected world. An independent, not-for-profit organization founded in 1919, IIE has a network of 19 offices and affiliates worldwide, including in New Delhi, and over 1,300 member institutions.
Through its Center for Women’s Leadership Initiatives, IIE provides opportunities for women worldwide to participate in cutting-edge training, professional development and exchange programs and pursue higher education. Our programs help women to develop and join networks of peers, mentors and experts and serve as effective leaders in the public and private sectors around the world.
About Juniper Networks
Juniper Networks (NYSE: JNPR) delivers innovation across routing, switching and security. Juniper Networks’ innovations in software,Juniper Networks and Junos are registered trademarks of Juniper Networks, Inc. in the United States and other countries. The Juniper Networks and Junos logos are trademarks of Juniper Networks, Inc. All other trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, or registered service marks are the property of their respective owners.
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