Building on a tradition of technology innovation and a need for preparing women to pursue a career in computing and technology, NorthState is partnering with the College of Computing and Informatics to enhance and expand the University’s opportunities for women and minorities pursuing computing and technology-based degrees.
NorthState will announce the details of its partnership to the University at a special reception being held in the EPIC building on the UNC Charlotte campus on Thursday, February 22 at 5:00 pm. The partnership aligns with NorthState’s mission to provide opportunities within communities to learn through technology.
The partnership includes three broad areas within the College of Computing and Informatics:
- The creation of the NorthState UNC Charlotte College of Computing and Informatics (CCI) Mentorship Program, including a designated university staff position to manage the mentorship program. This program will focus on encouraging women students to pursue computing through education and mentorship initiatives
- Creation of the Velva Hayden Memorial Scholarship, an endowed annual scholarship awarded for excellence and innovation
- Support of and participation in a College of Computing and Informatics Business Partners Program to support and build workforce-ready technology professionals“
The College of Computing and Informatics relies on having strong partners in the Charlotte Business community; strong leaders like NorthState, who share a common vision for the role of technology in society, who understand the importance and challenges of broadening participation by women and minorities, and who have a strong commitment to change the status quo and have significant impact,” said Fatma Mili, dean of the College of Computing and Informatics. “The programs with NorthState are innovative, multi-faceted, and poised to enrich the educational environment for all of our students and enhance the value of the University in the greater Charlotte community and beyond.”
“NorthState is proud to support this important initiative,” North State Chief Executive Officer Royster Tucker III said. “Pursuing a computing degree in college provides a vast number of opportunities in the digital era. From computer programming, data management, IT security, medicine to digital marketing, computing is an integral part of every industry. We are excited to partner with UNC Charlotte’s efforts to enhance and expand opportunities for students seeking careers in computing.”
“I’m particularly proud of the Velva Hayden Memorial Scholarship. Velva, who was my great-grandmother, was a pioneering corporate leader when she served as President and Chairman of the Board of NorthState from 1952-1974,” Tucker added. “We at NorthState are thrilled to know that Velva’s legacy will help to inspire another generation of students studying at UNC Charlotte.”
About UNC Charlotte
UNC Charlotte is North Carolina’s urban research university. With fall 2017 enrollment of more than 29,300 students, the University leverages its location in the state’s largest city to offer internationally competitive programs of research and creative activity, exemplary undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs, and a focused set of community engagement initiatives.
About North State
NorthState, through its Technology Solutions division delivers cloud, IT and data center services to enterprise customers throughout the Southeast. Their industry-recognized and highly trained people deliver business outcomes necessary to stay competitive. By combining human intelligence with leading IT platforms and a broad partner ecosystem, NorthState Technology Solutions enable businesses to securely excel in today’s complex digital world.
UNC Charlotte media relations contact: Buffie Stephens | 704-687-5830 | 980-355-3110 | BuffieStephens@uncc.edu
North State media relations contact: Scott Carpenter | 336-722-9660 | scott@capturevalue.com
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