DREAM STEM LEAD

CLOSED - REGISTRATION IS FULL

February 1 - March 22, 2022

Occurs once a week on a Tuesday from 6:00-8:00 PM CDT

Hacking the Gap for Diversity in Tech

AT THE INTERSECTION OF 

STEM + Leadership + Social Justice

In partnership with the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota and Best Buy, uCodeGirl is hosting an eight-week intensive technology entrepreneurship training between February and March 2022. 

During this hands-on virtual training, participants will be invited to generate ideas to solve socio-economic problems in their communities using technology. With the assistance of STEM professional female mentors, participants will work in teams to design, prototype and test solutions for the problems they have identified that are relevant to them and their communities. The program combines the foundational concepts of software design, leadership traits, entrepreneurship, and the important work of social justice. Participants will gain 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, communication, creative problem solving, and collaboration, all important concepts in today’s digital workforce. 

The program will meet virtually on Tuesday evenings, from February 1 to March 22, 2022.

PROGRAM TIMELINE

Occurs on Tuesday once a week starting on February 1, 2022, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm central time zone.

February 1, 2022

Tech Mentorship Kick-Off

February 8 - March 22, 2022

Project-based programming with Software Engineers and Entrepreneurs as Mentors

March 29, 2022

Tech Mentorship Closing Ceremony

Project Presentation & Celebration

At the conclusion of the training, the young women will pitch their ideas & prototypes to a panel of tech entrepreneurs as judges. Project Investment Money will be made available for the top three app idea winners. Our mentors are tech entrepreneurs, entrepreneurial mindset leaders, and female software professionals.

Participants will receive a stipend and have access to STEM networking and opportunities with mentors. The program is designed for Black, Indigenous, and women of color, ages 16 to 24, including those who identify with one or more of the following communities: Black/African American, African Immigrant, American Indian, Hispanic/Latina, and Asian/Pacific Islander. Black, Indigenous, and young women of color who live in rural areas, identify as LGBTQ+, and live with a disability are highly encouraged to apply. U.S. citizenship is not required. Our definition of a young woman includes anyone who identifies as a woman, inclusive of transgender, gender non-conforming, gender nonbinary, and all gender-expansive people who experience gender-based structural harm.

The Young Women Initiative of the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota of the Dream STEM Lead collaborative was designed to increase young women in STEM and mid-to high-wage fields and to harness the power of young women who are already leading in social justice. YWI Dream STEM Lead was designed with the input of WFMN’s Young Women’s Cabinet to meet the immediate and long-term needs of youth participants in increasing pathways to STEM careers.