WITS Conferences at Limestone on Feb. 26 & 27

Limestone College will host back-to-back Women In Technology & Sciences (WITS) Conferences on Thursday, Feb. 26, and Friday, Feb. 27, from 8:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. each day.

Nearly 200 sophomores and juniors from area high schools are expected to attend the conferences. Participants will be mentored by Limestone's female faculty and students through a series of training workshops.

For the past four years, Limestone has hosted a one-day WITS event, but opted this year to conduct two conferences on consecutive days.

“These are the best and brightest young women who have expressed an interest in science, math, technology, and health-related areas,” explained WITS Program Director Dr. Jane Watkins, who is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Limestone. “We have two full days of activities planned. The participants will get to solve a crime scene, learn about environmental science, decipher a computer/mathematics algorithm, participate in trauma/rescue exercises, and learn about how the brain works. Limestone is well-suited to offer a conference such as this because half of the faculty in science and health-related disciplines are women with terminal degrees.”

The WITS Conference receives financial support from both Duke Energy and Broad River Electric Cooperative. In 2013, the Duke Energy Foundation provided $50,000 that was used to transform a Limestone science lab into one akin to those seen on the popular “CSI” television series as well as to provide additional high-tech equipment. Broad River Electric Cooperative’s gifts are made possible through its Operation Round Up. Via that program, the monthly balances of participating members’ accounts are rounded up to the nearest dollar. That extra change goes to a benevolent fund that assists organizations and goodwill missions in and around Broad River’s service area.

“We are proud to partner with the Duke Energy Foundation and are most appreciative of the commitment they’ve shown through their generous gift,” said Limestone President Dr. Walt Griffin. “We also appreciate the support from the Broad River Electric Cooperative. Working together through the WITS Conference, our main objective is to create a pipeline of students in areas such as science, technology, and math from area high schools to Limestone College and ultimately to industry and corporations in the Carolinas.”

Watkins noted that one of the reasons there are so few women in science and technology fields is a problem of self-efficacy.

“Many of the female students I advise tell me they do not feel encouraged or qualified to pursue technology and health degrees, but their test scores show otherwise,” she explained. “Many of these students may not have had their hands on technological equipment as often as their male counterparts, but data does indicate that once women get over that initial hurdle, they actually surpass males. The purpose of the WITS Conferences is to ignite a spark in these young women so they might see themselves in one of the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) disciplines. These are the hot jobs that have high pay.”

She added that according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the STEM related job field is projected to grow by 17 percent by 2018, compared to nine percent in other fields. Employers, however, struggle to find qualified female candidates with degrees in STEM disciplines. In fact, a 2011 report by the U.S. Department of Commerce stated that women will fill fewer than 25 percent of STEM jobs.

WITS participants are eligible for Limestone's recently announced McMillan Scholarship. The scholarships are designed specifically for young women who have a high school grade point average of 3.0 or better, and are worth $8,000 annually for a total of $32,000.

For more information about the WITS Conferences or the McMillan Scholarship Program, please contact the Limestone College Admissions Office at (864) 488-4615.

(Accompanying photo from 2014 WITS Conference)