There’s no question that women are underrepresented in science and technology fields. According to the organization Girls Who Code, 74 percent of girls in middle school express interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), yet only .3 percent of high school girls choose STEM as a college major.
Girls Who Code is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to close the gender gap in computer science by providing coding opportunities for young girls. Founder and CEO Reshma Saujani is leading this charge by calling on industry leaders to help empower girls.
Saujani’s commitment to investing in the future of women is one reason why Northwestern Mutual honored her with the 2015 Forbes Impact Award in Leadership, which recognizes entrepreneurs for their vision and social impact.
The Girls Who Code is more than a program; it’s a movement. They have spent 2014 building the team, infrastructure, and partnerships needed to make 2015 a historic year not just for the organization, but for the economy at large. Girls Who Code programs don’t just teach computer science, they also empower girls by building the abilities and confidence they need to become entrepreneurs.
By the end of 2015, Girls Who Code will have empowered 10,000 girls in all 50 states with their proven computer science education programming, building a pipeline of talent that will finally bring gender parity to the technology sector.
