vCORE Women in Technology Scholarship

Women are dramatically under-represented in the information technology industry, comprising about one-quarter of the IT workforce. vCORE Technology Partners, an IT solutions & services provider with offices in 7 U.S. states and Canada, has created a scholarship program is intended to encourage more women to pursue career paths in information technology. The program is currently available in Arizona, California, Colorado and Hawaii, with plans to expand into additional markets in the future.

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Scholarship Overview

Diversity in the workplace brings a host of benefits, including a broader range of thought, insight and knowledge, which can boost productivity and quality of work.

Employee satisfaction is deeper, the client experience is better, and the community is more-fully engaged when a company can draw upon the talents and perspectives of a diverse team.

In a rapidly-expanding realm of technology, women continue to be under-represented. While about 57 percent of professional occupations in the U.S. were held by women in 2016, they represent just 26 percent of the workforce in computer-related fields.

vCORE, an IT solutions & services provider with operations across the U.S. and Canada, launched its Women in Technology scholarship in early 2018 as part of an effort to encourage more women to seek careers in technology-related fields.

The monetary award, along with community outreach among high-school students with interest in STEM, is intended to mitigate financial hurdles while stressing the value of women in the technology industry.

The program is administered by Scholarship America, a non-profit organization that is the nation’s largest manager of corporate scholarship programs.

Scholarship recipients will have an opportunity for mentorship with vCORE IT professionals, though they are not obligated to do so.

To apply, visit the vCORE Women in Technology Scholarship page at Scholarship America, learnmore.scholarsapply.org/vcore/.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

Identify as female.
Be residents of Arizona, California, Colorado, or Hawaii.
Be current high school seniors attending a high school in their current state of residency.
Plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study pursuing a degree in Computer Science or Information Technology at an accredited two-year or four-year college or university in their current state of residency for the entire upcoming academic year.

Questions about eligibility or about the scholarship program? Please direct inquiries to Parker Leavitt, vCORE communications director, parker.leavitt@vcore.com.

Award Amount

If selected as a recipient, the student will receive an award of $2,500, renewable up to three years for a potential $10,000. Four awards will be granted, with one recipient being selected from each state.

Awards are for undergraduate study only.

Recipients will be notified in mid-May, with scholarship payments made in early August.

Deadline to apply: March 21, 2019 3:00 p.m. CDT.

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Scholarship Alumni

Lucy Guo

California — 2019

Lucy Guo, a graduate of San Ramon Valley High School in Danville, Calif., plans to study computer science at the University of California, Berkeley. She is the first California student to receive the vCORE Women in Technology Scholarship.

During high school, Lucy worked as a student intern at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and as a tutor. She was a member of the astrophysics club and participated in the Science Alliance program to teach a love of STEM to children.

Her interests include computer science, astrophysics, skiing and travel. She was recognized at the 2019 Senior Awards & Scholarship event at San Ramon Valley High School.

Kyla Lash

Colorado — 2019

Kyla Lash, a graduate of John F. Kennedy High School in Denver, Colo., plans to study computer science at University of Denver. She is the first Colorado student to receive the vCORE Women in Technology Scholarship.

Kyla ranked No. 7 in her graduating class, took several AP classes during high school and worked in an internship where she learned with coding. Hobbies include watching hockey and other sports, spending time with family. She enjoys animals and has a dog and a cat.

Once she completes her computer science degree, Kyla is interested in pursuing a career in cybersecurity.

Haley Hansen

Arizona — 2019

Haley Hansen graduated from Shadow Ridge High School in Surprise, Ariz. and is headed to Grand Canyon University to study computer science.

In high school, Haley played JV and varsity soccer, participated in ROTHA (a club focused on helping animals), was part of the National Honor Society, and enjoyed studying architecture. She’s earned several academic awards and was captain of her soccer team.

After college, Haley plans to pursue a career in computer programming, software development, or game simulation or development.

Her interests include learning to play the guitar, playing video games and reading books by her favorite author, Stephen King.

Ashley Bruner

Arizona — 2018

Ashley Bruner, from Xavier College Preparatory in Phoenix, Ariz., plans to study Computer Systems Engineering at Arizona State University beginning in Fall 2018. Her studies will include an emphasis on cybersecurity.

Ashley is one of three triplets set to enter college in the same year. In high school, she was involved in Xavier’s “Girls Have IT Day” Steering Committee, which encourages middle-school girls to develop interest in STEM fields.

Ashley has also volunteered at the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center in Phoenix as a tutor and mentor for teens, at St. Francis Elementary School as a tutor and at St. Vincent de Paul, which helps individuals and families in need of food, clothing, housing and medical care.