TBTLA

Leaders Helping Leaders

News Article

On April 24,2010 The University of Tampa (UT) hosted the 4th GETSMART (Getting Everyone To Study Math and Related Technologies) program for middle school girls. This is an event created by UT’s MIS Advisory Board and the Information Technology Management Department of the John H. Sykes College of Business. The goal of the GETSMART program is to increase interest and awareness in information systems programs as well as other science, technology, engineering and math programs. This is an area of national interest by the National Science Foundation (NSF) as well as several professional computing organizations because participation in these fields by females has consistently lagged that of males for several decades. GETSMART is supported by TBTLA through the creation of a subcommittee to partner with UT faculty. Jointly they planed, sponsored and conducted all three GETSMART events.

The GETSMART subcommittee contacted middle and high schools across Tampa Bay to generate support and recruit the attendees. GETSMART had 14 attendees from middle schools across Hillsborough, Pinellas and Manatee counties. The GETSMART subcommittee participated through administrative support for the event as well as interacting with the girls as role models during the event. The subcommittee’s assistance has been essential to the success of the program. GETSMART received financial or volunteer support for this event from IBM, Dex Imaging, Firm Solutions, Sterling Research Group, Technical Education Consultants, Persystent Software, University Alliance, eMentum, a-Tech Resourcing, Pratt Brown & Associates, University of Tampa, and TBTLA.

In addition to increasing visibility for UT’s program with the professional community and the local schools, UT collected research data from this event. Using multiple questionnaires, quantitative data was collected. Additionally rich qualitative data was obtained during the focus group discussions. UT Professors Natasha Veltri, Ray Papp and Harold Webb have a book chapter forthcoming based on data collected during the first two GETSMART events. This most recent event will support the development of follow-on articles focused on better understanding female student interest and motivations for enrolling in computing programs.

April 2010 Jr. Advisory Board

GETSMART at the University of Tampa

The goal of the GETSMART program is to increase interest and awareness in information systems programs as well as other science, technology, engineering and math programs.

October 2009 Volunteers and middle schoolers on the Jr. Advisory Board Advisory Board